President Donald Trump just followed through on one of the most significant promises of his campaign. In the process, he has made history.
In 1995, Congress passed the bipartisan Jerusalem Embassy Act. This law is simple. It states that the United States will move its embassy from the city of Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the nation’s capital, by no later than 1999. This law passed the House of Representatives 347-37, and the Senate 93-5. It’s now 2017, 18 years after the deadline, and nothing had happened.
Ever since the law became law on November 8, 1995, every president since Bill Clinton has actively chosen not to move our embassy to Jerusalem.
That was until President Trump.
The Bible says in Isaiah 62:1: “For Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.”
As a steadfast friend of Israel, the president is standing shoulder to shoulder with one of our closest allies and friends, and is embracing the truth: Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. For Israel, and now properly the United States, Jerusalem is more than a city; it is the foundation of Israel’s very existence.
This administration understands the importance of standing and recognizing Jerusalem as the rightful Israeli capital, and it is refreshing to finally have a president willing to show the leadership necessary to do so.
True leadership requires making clear and, at times, difficult decisions. But, when it comes to identifying Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the decision is clear. Israel is our closest ally in the volatile Middle East. Furthermore, the Israeli people have stood unquestioningly with the United States since their beginning, even when it was difficult to do so.
It is past time that the United Sates respond in kind, and show its unwavering solidarity with the Israeli people by moving our embassy where it rightly belongs: Jerusalem.
I am thrilled to see that President Trump has begun taking the steps for the United States to finally make good on this promise made more than two decades ago.
As a combat veteran who served in our military for over a decade, including fifteen months in Middle East combat zones, I am especially aware of the volatility and dangers which lurk in the region. I understand the necessity of strengthening our relationship with Israel, not only as a strategic partner in the Middle East, but also as a friend and ally.
This moment in our history reminds us of a powerful moment found in Ruth 1:16, when Ruth told Naomi “whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” Jerusalem is where the Israeli people have gone, and at long last, we are going with them. Our relationship with Israel expands beyond the shared democratic values we all hold so dear. We also share the Judeo-Christian convictions that drive us both in life, and in faith.
Under President Trump, the alliance between the United States and Israel grows stronger every day, but there is no room for complacency. The common values shared between our two countries must be championed continually and defended in Congress and on the international stage. Israel is the beacon of liberty in the Middle East. By standing for Israel, America stands for itself.
Andrew Lewis is an Army combat veteran, businessman and congressional candidate in Pennsylvania’s 11th District.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of The Daily Caller.
