Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary of the opening of the American embassy in Jerusalem, which has not brought about the diplomatic disasters or waves of violence opponents of such a move have warned of for decades. Now, writes Efraim Inbar, Israel should take advantage of the present circumstances to construct housing and infrastructure in the city and its immediate environs—for reasons religious, historical, and strategic:
The recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state appears to have become a permanent principle of U.S. foreign policy. The former vice-president Joseph Biden, the current Democratic candidate for president, has said that, if elected, he will not move the embassy back to Tel Aviv. As more time passes, additional countries will surely be persuaded to emulate America and recognize reality.
The Trump administration’s Middle East peace plan has further fortified Israel’s control over Jerusalem. The plan affirms Israel’s right to the entirety of “undivided Jerusalem,” reiterating its recognition as Israel’s capital. The plan places the Old City of Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, and gives Israel the task of safeguarding holy sites and guaranteeing freedom of worship, including al-Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount.
Israel intends to maintain the Jordan Valley as its eastern defensible border. This requires securing the highway from the Mediterranean coast [in the west], where most Israelis live, to the Jordan Valley [in the east] via an undivided Jerusalem and [the Jerusalem suburb of] Maaleh Adumim. Jerusalem, the only junction along the central mountains in the Land of Israel, is the linchpin for maintaining a defensive line across to the Jordan Valley.
The first priority of the new Israeli government should be building in and around Jerusalem. Within the parameters of the Trump plan, the new Israeli government should seize the opportunity to strengthen its hold over the city.
Read more on Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security: https://jiss.org.il/en/inbar-build-jerusalem/