U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday sent heartfelt wishes to Israel over the relocation of the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump praised the historic move in a special video address screened at the festive dedication ceremony, attended by foreign and Israeli dignitaries in the new embassy building, in Jerusalem's Arnona neighborhood.
"Today, we officially open the United States Embassy in Jerusalem. Congratulations. It's been a long time coming," Trump said.
"Almost immediately after declaring statehood in 1948, Israel designated the city of Jerusalem as its capital," Trump said. "The capital the Jewish people established in ancient times. So important.
"Israel is a sovereign nation with the right, like every other sovereign nation, to determine its own capital," Trump said, but "for many years, we failed to acknowledge the obvious: the plain reality that Israel's capital is Jerusalem. On Dec. 6, 2017, at my direction, the U.S. finally and officially recognized Jerusalem as the true capital of Israel.
"This city and its entire nation is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of the Jewish people," he said. "The U.S. will always be a great friend of Israel and a partner in the cause of freedom and peace," Trump concluded.
"President Trump, by recognizing history you have made history," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during the ceremony. "Thank you, President Trump, for having the courage to keep your promises. Thank you, President Trump, and thank you all for making the alliance between American and Israel stronger than ever."
Although he also did not attend the ceremony, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence also welcomed the move in a speech given from Washington.
"From King David's time to our own, President Trump has now etched his name into the ineffaceable story of Jerusalem. And, as the president said this morning, today is nothing less than a great day for Israel.
"And on behalf of the president and all the American people, on this big day for Israel, we say, 'Mazel tov,'" he said. "God bless you. God bless Israel. And God Bless the United States of America."
U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also thanked Trump.
"Today's historic event is attributed to the vision, the courage and the moral clarity of one person to whom we owe an enormous and eternal debt of gratitude, President Donald J. Trump," he said.
President Reuven Rivlin, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein and other senior officials also attended the ceremony. Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, her husband, top presidential adviser Jared Kushner, Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt and other American lawmakers and religious leaders also attended the ceremony.
Following the ceremony, Kushner and Ivanka Trump unveiled a plaque dedicated to the embassy on Trump's behalf.
"On behalf of the 45th President of the United States of America, we welcome you officially and for the first time to the embassy of the United States here in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. Thank you," it read.
After the short statement by his wife, Kushner said he was "so proud to be here today in Jerusalem, the eternal heart of the Jewish people. … And I am especially honored to be here today as a representative of the 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump."
In contrast to past presidents who "backed down" from their promises to transfer the American embassy to Jerusalem, Kushner said, "Once in office, this president delivered, because when President Trump makes a promise he keeps it. But today also demonstrates American leadership, by moving our embassy to Jerusalem we have shown the world once again that the United States can be trusted. We stand with our friends and our allies, and above all else, we have shown that the United States of America will do what is right and so we have."
Kushner also discussed Trump's Iran policy, saying that "last week, President Trump acknowledged another truth and kept another promise. He announced his intention to exit the dangerous, flawed and one-sided Iran deal.
"Iran's aggression threatens the many peace-loving citizens throughout the region and the entire world, from Israel to Jordan to Egypt to Saudi Arabia and beyond," he said.
During the ceremony, top officials with the Republican National Committee, along with a delegation of four Republican senators, 10 Republican congressmen and one Republican governor, cheered Kushner from the gallery. The RNC's new finance chair, Tom Ricketts, also attended.
Amid this week's parades and receptions across Israel, however, partisan divisions back home were rising to the surface.
Not a single elected Democrat attended the celebration in Israel. Most were silent Monday as the ceremony unfolded on television. A few, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, issued written statements of support.
As significant as the event was for many Jews, it appeared to be equally important for Israel's Christian allies. The invitation-only audience at the inauguration ceremony seemed to have as many Christians as Jews, and prominent evangelical Christian allies took part in the ceremony.
Pastor Robert Jeffress, leader of a Dallas-area Baptist church and a spiritual adviser to Trump, delivered the opening blessing, and Pastor John Hagee lead the closing blessing.
Senate candidate Mitt Romney of Utah said Jeffress should not be giving the prayer because he is a "religious bigot." Jeffress has drawn criticism for calling Islam and Mormonism "a heresy from the pit of hell" and saying Jews "can't be saved."
Jeffress told The Associated Press before the blessing that some of the things attributed to him have been taken out of context.
"I think it's sad that Mitt feels the need to lash out in bitterness and anger on such a historic day but it's not going to overshadow what is happening here," he said. "For 2,000 years, historic Christianity has taught that salvation is through Christ alone."
The evangelical embrace has drawn criticism from some quarters, especially liberal American Jews who oppose the conservative Christian agenda. Evangelicals say their affinity stems from Christianity's Jewish roots, and some view Israel's establishment as fulfilling biblical prophecy.
"It's a dream come true," said Shari Dollinger, the co-executive director of Hagee's Christians United For Israel. "This is the fulfillment of years of Jewish and Christian prayer."
