US to begin process to move embassy to Jerusalem: Tillerson

Agencies
December 7, 2017

Washington, Dec 7: The US will immediately begin the process to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said, hours after President Donald Trump recognised the holy city as Israel's capital.

In a major announcement, Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital yesterday despite warnings from the Arab leaders, reversing decades of US and international policy on the holy city.

"The State Department will immediately begin the process to implement this decision by starting the preparations to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem," Tillerson said.

The President Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital aligns the US presence with the reality that Jerusalem is home to Israel's legislature, Supreme Court, president's office, and prime minister's office, Tillerson said in a statement.

"We have consulted with many friends, partners, and allies in advance of the President making his decision. We firmly believe there is an opportunity for a lasting peace," he said.

Tillerson said the the safety of Americans was the State Department's highest priority, and with other federal agencies, it has implemented robust security plans to protect its citizens in affected regions.

In his landmark announcement, Trump said consistent with the Jerusalem Embassy Act, he was directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"This will immediately begin the process of hiring architects, engineers and planners, so that a new embassy, when completed, will be a magnificent tribute to peace," he said.

The controversial decision received mixed reactions.

"I have long believed that Jerusalem is the true capital of Israel. However, issues surrounding the final and permanent status of Jerusalem must ultimately be resolved by Israelis and Palestinians as part of an internationally supported peace process," Senator John McCain said.

"That is why today's policy announcement, as well as any future relocation of the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, should be part of a comprehensive diplomatic strategy in coordination with regional partners to achieve peace and security between Israelis and Palestinians," he said.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the reaction from across the world is "troubling", including from important allies of Israel, and asserted that the announcement could have "destabilising consequences" for a region already rife with tensions.

"I am worried about the impact of this decision on the safety of US personnel overseas and have raised my concerns with the State Department to ensure sufficient security measures are in place at all US embassies and consulates," he said.

Another Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi rued that in the absence of a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, moving the US embassy to Jerusalem now may "needlessly spark mass protests, fuel tensions, and make it more difficult to reach a durable peace".

Senator Marco Rubio said, "Today's announcement is an important step in the right direction. Unequivocal recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital will be complete when the US embassy is officially relocated there".

Following the Trump's decision, many Arab leaders warned that it could trigger an upheaval in the already volatile Middle East.

Comments

M Parson
 - 
Friday, 8 Dec 2017

This is outmost blunder by USA & Israel. Palestinian gave Israel people to live on their land. Today they acquired the place & now they say its their. Trump will never have natural death. Its known fact that USA admin call Israeli as their father before they any decision. One day inn sha Allah these Israel people will be paid for the things which they have done to Palestinian people. USA being such big country is afraid of Israel. Hum kisi se kum nahii Hamare Dash mein dum nahii

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News Network
June 4,2020

London, Jun 4: Meghan, Britain's Duchess of Sussex, has spoken about events following the death of George Floyd saying she was sorry that children had to grow up in a world where racism still existed and that current events in the United States were "devastating".

"I know you know that black lives matter," Meghan said in a video she recorded for students graduating from her old high school in Los Angeles which was aired on Wednesday.

The death of Floyd has become the latest flashpoint for long-simmering rage over police brutality against African Americans and led to nationwide protests, some violent, with curfews imposed in some cities to quell the disorder.

"For the past couple of weeks I've been planning on saying a few words to you for your graduation and as we've all seen over the last week what is happening in our country, and in our state and in our home town of LA is absolutely devastating," said Meghan, whose mother is African American and father is white.

"First thing I want to say to you is that I'm sorry, I'm so sorry that you have to grow up in a world where this is still present," she said in her message to the girls at the Immaculate Heart High School.

The duchess, a former US actress and wife of Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry, said she wanted to say "the right thing" and was nervous her words would be "picked apart".

"The only wrong thing to say is to say nothing. Because George Floyd's life mattered, and Breonna Taylor's life mattered, and Philando Castile's life mattered and Tamir Rice's life mattered and so did so many other people whose names we know, and whose names we do not know," she said.

Britain's royal family by tradition does not comment on political issues. However, Meghan and Harry stepped down from their official royal roles at the end of March and are now living in Los Angeles with their baby son Archie.

In her message, the 38-year-old reflected on her own memories of the 1992 LA riots.

"Those memories don't go away and I can't imagine that at 17 or 18 years old, which is how old you are now, that you would have to have a different version of that same type of experience," she said.

"That's something you should have an understanding of, but an understanding of as a history lesson not as your reality. So I'm sorry that in a way we have not gotten the world to the place you deserve it to be."

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News Network
February 1,2020

New Delhi, Feb 1: Activist Sharjeel Imam's mobile phone and laptop along with some anti-CAA posters have been seized from his house in Bihar's Jehanabad and rented flat in Vasant Kunj, police said on Friday.

Imam was arrested by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch from Jehanabad in a sedition case and he is being questioned by police for his alleged inflammatory speeches in Aligarh and at the Jamia Millia Islamia University here.

During investigation, a laptop and a desktop belonging to Imam were recovered from his rented flat at Vasant Kunj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajesh Deo said.

His mobile phone was recovered from his house at his native place in Jehanabad's Kako area on the instance of his brother, he said.

Imam had prepared anti-CAA and anti-NRC pamphlets with "misleading and intimidating facts" and then distributed them in various mosques, the copy of which have been recovered, police said.

The shop from where he made photocopies of the pamphlets has also been identified, they added.

Imam was arrested on Tuesday. He was brought to Delhi on Wednesday and produced at the residence of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Purushottam Pathak in the evening amid tight security after which police were granted his five-day custody.

The PhD scholar at the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Centre for Historical Studies has been booked for sedition and other charges in several states after videos of his alleged inflammatory speeches, made during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), were circulated on the social media.

An FIR was registered against Imam by the Delhi Police on January 25 under IPC sections 124A (sedition) and 153A (promoting or attempting to promote disharmony or feelings of enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever) among others.

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News Network
May 19,2020

New Delhi, May 19: In a fresh blow to saffronite journalist Arnab Goswami, the Supreme Court of India today rejected his plea seeking transfer of the investigation of a case, filed against him for defaming Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, to the CBI. The court also refused to quash the FIRs filed against him.

Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV, has been booked in connection with a TV show on the gathering of migrants outside Bandra railway station on April 14. This apart, multiple FIRs have been filed against him for his show on Palghar lynching. In that show, he had posed certain questions on the incident to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, following which Congress workers lodged complaints against him in various states.

Extending Goswami’s interim protection from arrest by three weeks, the Supreme Court said, “Right of a journalist under 19 1 (a) higher…Free citizens can’t exist if news media can’t speak.”

During the earlier hearing, Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Goswami, had urged the court to transfer the probe to an agency like CBI. He said the “nature of the” second FIR against Goswami over a show on the migrant gathering outside Bandra station on April 14 “shows that it’s arm-twisting tactic”. 

“They are trying to stifle an unpleasant voice. This is a political party targeting a journalist. All complainants are members of one political party. They have a problem with the government. They want to teach this journalist a lesson,” he added.

Objecting to Salve’s plea to transfer the case to the CBI, Maharashtra government counsel, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, had said, “CBI investigation will go into your hands”. 

Sibal denied that Goswami was being harassed and said he was only asked relevant questions. He said Goswami should “stop this communal violence and communal mongering”.

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