Rep. King: Trump decision on Jerusalem will benefit Israelis and Palestinians
<p>President Donald Trump's announcement Wednesday that the United States will officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel prompted a strong reaction across Long Island and around the world. </p>
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Dec 6, 2017, 10:37 PM
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Updated 2,572 days ago
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President Donald Trump's announcement Wednesday that the United States will officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel prompted a strong reaction across Long Island and around the world.
Some supporters of Israel on Long Island said they were glad the president kept this campaign pledge. Republican Rep. Peter King said he believes the move will ultimately benefit both Israelis and Palestinians.
"I think this will be a good jump start for the peace process," said Rep. King. "We've gone through this fiction for 30 years of not recognizing Jerusalem…it's gotten us nowhere."
Dr. Hafiz Rehman, a trustee of the Muslim Center of Long Island, had a different take, saying that the status quo "should be preserved."
"Jerusalem is a unique city. Call it the capital of the world – not the capital of Israel, not the capital of Palestine," said Dr. Rehman.
Dr. Rehman's opinion was also shared by Jewish people, as well.
"There are 81 countries with embassies in Tel Aviv and no countries have embassies in Jerusalem," said Charles Kriegel, of Huntington Station.
Katie Laatikainen, a political science professor at Adelphi, echoed the concerns of many who oppose moving the embassy – fearing that the announcement could ignite a wave of violence.
"It probably emboldens the hardliners among the Palestinians, which means there will probably be a good deal of unrest, at least in the short term," said Laatikainen.
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