Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit
WASHINGTON, June 1, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Midnight tonight is the deadline for President Trump to not sign the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 waiver, effectively allowing the U.S. Embassy to move to its rightful location of Jerusalem, Israel's capital.
On October 23, 1995, Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and requiring the U.S. Embassy to be moved there by May 31, 1999. The law passed the Senate by 93-5 and the House by 374-37. Yet the law was never implemented because of opposition from former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama. Each president took advantage of a waiver provision in the Jerusalem Embassy Act, enabling them to certify, every six months, that it is not yet time to move the U.S. embassy to Israel's rightful and eternal capital city.
President Obama signed his final waiver of the Jerusalem Embassy Act on December 1, 2016. The next presidential waiver would have to be signed by midnight, June 1.
"President Trump must not follow in the footsteps of previous presidents and sign the Jerusalem Embassy Act waiver," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, President of Christians in Defense of Israel, and Founder and Chairman of Covenant Journey. "Congress signed the Jerusalem Embassy Act in 1999. Eighteen years waiting is more than enough. It is beyond time for the United States to move the Embassy to Jerusalem. To not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel contradicts the Bible, history, present-day reality, and is anti-Semitic. Move the Embassy! Keeping the Embassy in Tel Aviv has not brought the Palestinian Authority to the table to talk peace. The Hamas government in Gaza has no interest in peace. This year, being the 50th anniversary of a united Jerusalem, is the perfect time to move the Embassy to the capital of Israel," said Staver.
Liberty Counsel is an international litigation, education, and policy organization. Liberty Counsel has a number of affiliated ministries, including Christians in Defense of Israel and Covenant Journey, a program that provides a life-changing experience in Israel for Christian college-age students who have leadership potential. Find out more at www.LC.org and www.CovenantJourney.org.
