Area groups had mixed reactions to President Donald Trump’s announcement Wednesday that the U.S. will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, upending decades of policy.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York said while it remains committed to a two-state solution between the Israelis and Palestinians it welcomed the president’s decision.
“Under Israeli sovereignty, Jerusalem is open to followers of all faiths,” the JCRC said in a statement.
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, however said the timing of the announcement was concerning.
“In separating today’s decisions from a broader strategy, they may well undercut the Administration’s peace process efforts and risk destabilizing the region,” Jacobs said in a statement.
A representative for the New York branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations declined to comment.
Messages to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office, the City Council’s Jewish caucus and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office for comment on the president’s announcement were not returned.
Democratic and Republican members from the city’s congressional delegation, however, did praise the announcement.
“Israel, as a sovereign nation, determined its capital as Jerusalem,” U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) said in a statement. “The United States, as its close ally and friend, should recognize this history and sovereignty”
The city is Israel’s seat of government, is where the country conducts its national business, and it makes no sense to ignore this fact,” U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-Staten Island) said in a statement.
