Israel’s Foreign Ministry hit back Thursday after the European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini expressed “serious concerns” about United States President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“The insistence that Jerusalem is not Israel’s capital is a denial of indisputable historical facts,” a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. “Denial of this simple fact distances peace by creating unrealistic expectations among the Palestinians. President Trump took a brave and just step that brings peace closer by speaking the truth.”
Speaking in the wake of Trump’s address Wednesday night, Mogherini said: “The EU position remains unchanged. The aspirations of both parties must be fulfilled and a way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both states.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in a video posted on Facebook that Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was one of the monumental moments in the history of the state of Israel and the Zionist movement.
“There are great moments in the history of Zionism: The Balfour Declaration, the founding of the state, the liberation of Jerusalem and, yesterday, the Trump Declaration,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said he had told Trump, “you are about to make history,” adding, “and yesterday he made history.”