We at CODEPINK oppose Trump’s plan to move the US embassy to Jerusalem or declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel. These actions contravene US law and will likely ignite a massive outbreak of violence. Jerusalem is holy to Muslims, Christians, and Jews. The UN and the international community recognize that the status of Jerusalem should be determined through negotiation.

If Trump moves the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem it will:

• Increase the denial of political rights to Palestinian residents of Jerusalem as guaranteed under international law.
• Encourage Israel’s unilateral annexation of Jerusalem in violation of international law.
• Give a green light for Israel to continue its action to displace Palestinian Jerusalemites from the city. Currently, Israel is poised to revoke the residency permits of over 1,400 Palestinian Jerusalemites.
• Embolden the extremist right wing in Israel who campaign for increased settlement expansion and annexation of Jerusalem.

For the sake of peace and Palestinian human rights, we oppose moving the US embassy to Jerusalem and US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.