McCaul on Recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the Trump administration's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel:

Congressman McCaul: "Every American embassy should be located in the capital of that country, and Jerusalem is the undivided capital of the State of Israel. Congress spoke loud and clear on this issue with the overwhelming passage of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which states that Israel, as a sovereign nation, has the right to designate its own capital and our embassy should be located in that capital. I welcome President Trump's historic announcement today, which both fulfills a key campaign promise and recognizes a longstanding reality. Furthermore, this announcement signals a new era in relations with our Israeli partners – relations that were significantly strained by the Obama administration.

"Make no mistake, the controversial and sensitive process ahead will come with its challenges. I urge President Trump to be mindful of this as he moves forward with the relocation of our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and ensure U.S. national security interests remain a top priority. I also urge all parties in the region to exercise restraint as we move forward, and trust that the United States, as the president highlighted, remains deeply committed to lasting peace in the region."