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Democrats Flip Flop on Jerusalem as Countries Follow Trump's Lead

CBN

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WASHINGTON - The day after President Donald Trump took historic action to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and begin the process of moving America's embassy there, it appears other countries are following his lead.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's already in touch with other countries that want to follow President Trump's lead to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move their embassies there.

"I call on all countries that seek peace to join the United States in recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and to move their embassies here," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Already reports indicate the Philippines, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and India are all moving in that direction.

Despite international criticism, officials at the White House are taking a victory lap for what they're calling the president's "courageous and bold" move.

At the White House press briefing Thursday, CBN's Jennifer Wishon asked Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders if the fact that the president kept his promise gives him more credibility when negotiating in the Middle East.

"Certainly the ability to follow through on something you've committed to as the president has done," Sanders said, "but also let's not forget this was something that Congress voted on starting back in 1995 and has reaffirmed 10 separate times over the last 20 years."

However, some of the Democrats who supported measures to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem in the past seemed to be betting Trump wouldn't keep his word. The president called their bluff. 

Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Dianne Feinstein of California have all criticized the president's action. 

But not only did Feinstein vote in favor of the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, she was a key player in its passage. She's the senator who inserted the waiver provision that allows the president to delay the embassy move in the interest of national security, which secured the votes of 10 additional Democrats who were on the fence. That boost gave the bill a veto-proof majority. Now she's calling the president's decision to move the embassy "terrible."

However, if Democrats follow their party platform, they'll support the president. The 2016 Democrat platform says, "While Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations, it should remain the capital of Israel, an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths."

Similar language appears in the party's 2008 and 2004 platforms.

President Trump says his move is part of his new strategy to achieve a peace deal, Prime Minister Netanyahu says there is no peace that doesn't include Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

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