Thank you, POTUS

Three days of rage. That’s the Palestinian Authority’s response to President Trump’s potential proclamation that the US recognizes Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

But it is. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. King David made it official. King Solomon built the Jewish temple on Mt Moriah. Centuries of history reflected the glory of this fact — Crusaders fought to reach the holy city, even Muslims bend over backwards to find a claim to that ‘farthest mosque’ in an attempt to make Jerusalem their own.

It might be politically inconvenient for Arabs today to admit this. But no one can remove the Jews from Jerusalem. It is ours, and we don’t have to ask anyone. Two thousand years of yearning — out loud, in daily prayers, at every turn — yielded us a modern miracle of a state, with Jerusalem as our capital.

Thank you, President Trump, for making history this week. Thank you for following in the footsteps of historic leaders who dared tell the truth, from Cyrus the Great who returned the Jews from a Persian exile, to Balfour who declared the basis for our modern homeland. Your tenacity is our blessing.

The step you are taking is bold. Not only are you keeping your promise, but you are remaining true to your word as friend of Israel and believer in real peace. The other paths haven’t worked, and it’s time for vision and clarity. Tell the truth and it will empower us: Jerusalem is our capital and we are here to stay. That’s the only basis for moving ahead in this crazy Middle East, where we don’t much feel the love. But we persevere, because we know the truth, and we have friends around the world who remind us.

Thank you to our countless friends in Congress who have worked day and night, visiting Jerusalem here with us and explaining back in DC why this must happen. We know you’ll see it through, to moving the embassy from Tel Aviv and to ensuring that Israel is sovereign in our homeland. Because that’s the truth, and that’s what’s right.

Thank you, Abu Mazen, for your honesty as well. Three days of rage in response to US foreign policy choices? That’s no way to play nicely. The bully in the sandbox is out there for all to see, and now we know for sure that truth is on our side. The world must adopt a strict no-terrorism policy before allowing any further negotiations. This is not a concession, it is a non-starter.

Meanwhile, we have a celebration to begin. See you tomorrow, and the next day, and the next — in Jerusalem, our eternal capital.