We are approaching the season of the year when many of our thoughts will turn to Jerusalem. Some will sing songs and others will review the history of the people who first declared that city to be holy. The season of Chanukah begins on December 12 and extends to the 20^th, and of course we Christians celebrate the Christmas season 5 days later. To this day the typical greeting among our Jewish brothers and sisters at various times but particularly at Passover and at the end of the Seder meal is, “le-shanah ha-ba’ah bi-Yerushalayim,”  “Next year in Jerusalem.” The fact is that Israel calls Jerusalem its capital, and the US Embassy is located in the nation’s capital of every country with whom we have diplomatic relations, except for Israel. That error of history should be rectified.

Earlier this year I published a blog outlining my support for Israel, historically our staunchest democratic ally. In that blog I specifically mentioned my support for President Trump’s campaign promise to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. With so many of the President’s initiatives and campaign promises stalled because of inaction by Congress, both by the recalcitrant democrats as well as republicans who find the President’s efforts to “drain the swamp” personally threatening, this is a laurel waiting to be seized. No Congressional approval is necessary, just a campaign promise the POTUS could honor tomorrow, not by Executive Order, but merely acting to enforce an existing Congressional mandate. He promised he would; now he should.

In 1995 the 104^th Congress, by a unanimous voice vote, approved the Jerusalem Embassy Act. That act stated that the USA should recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move our embassy there. Did I say it was a unanimous vote? Despite that approval, Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump have failed to act to move the embassy. It has become a political football that has been punted for 24 years. Oh, there are a variety of reasons routinely proffered:  Palestine will be upset, it might be considered by some an act of war, it will stall the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks (how are they going?), it will cause hard feelings among Israel’s neighbors, and the old favorite, the United Nations will be angry. Does anyone actually think that not moving the embassy will make Palestine a friend of the USA? The last 24 years suggests not.

There is even the fear expressed by at least three administrations that moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem because of a Congressional vote muddies the water between the auspices of Congress and the sole power invested by the Constitution in the Executive Branch to execute foreign policy. While some of the warnings about such a move may have credibility, I believe it is time to get over this whining excuse and act to move the embassy. Since the 1995 act, the President must stipulate in writing every six months that it is not in the best interests of the USA to make the move at that time. Despite his campaign promise to move the embassy, the last time such a declaration was made, President Trump so stipulated on June 1, 2017.  He must reissue that statement on December 1, 2017. I encourage him not to do so.

By beginning the process to move the embassy on December 1, 2017, the current administration will honor one more campaign promise that the electorate voted for and assure Israel, that the USA can be depended on to honor its international ethical commitments. As your senator, I will always stand with Israel on key issues, and should it not occur this December, once I oust progressive Senator Joe Donnelly and become your junior senator I will work to have the administration begin this strategic move as soon as possible.

Working for you,

Mark Hurt

Candidate For The United States Senate In The Republican Primary