On Monday, May 14, the solemn ceremony of opening the US Embassy in Jerusalem. The event began with the execution of the American anthem.
The first was the US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who recalled that President Harry Truman recognized Israel 11 minutes after the proclamation of the independence of the Jewish state.
"Today," the ambassador stressed, "the United States is once again ahead of the world, correcting historical injustice and transferring its embassy to Jerusalem. All this, according to the ambassador, became possible thanks to the courage of the incumbent president - Donald Trump ".
The ambassador welcomed the first persons of the State of Israel, the mayor of Jerusalem, the leader of the opposition, ministers, heads of the judicial system and security services, chief rabbis, all the guests of honor of the ceremony.
In the continuation of the speech, David Fridman introduced the guests to the American delegation, which includes Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin, US presidential advisors, including Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, senators, congressmen, diplomats.
The US ambassador specifically mentioned Senator Joe Santos, who just a year ago, visiting Jerusalem, urged the US administration to recognize this city as the capital of Israel and to transfer its embassy there. Friedman recalled that even 23 years ago the US Senate passed a resolution with 90 votes without a single objection on the transfer of the embassy to Jerusalem.
The Ambassador noted the importance of Jerusalem, which was reflected in the writings and publications of American philosophers and politicians - from Abraham Lincoln to Ronald Reagan.
Then the clergy rose up to the rostrum - Baptist pastor Robert Jeffress and Rabbi Chabad Zalman Volovik, who gave short speeches and read prayers.
After this, the matter was presented to US Under Secretary of State John Sullivan, who, on behalf of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, thanked Ambassador Friedman for his enormous contribution to the development of American-Israeli relations. The deputy head of the State Department conveyed to the Israeli friends of the USA the best wishes of Pompeo, who regretted the inability to personally attend the ceremony.
"Undoubtedly, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel," said John Sullivan. - But the transfer of the American embassy there gives a new chance to achieve peace. Opening the embassy, ??we recognize the fortress of bonds connecting the United States and Israel, and lay the cornerstone of a new era of bilateral cooperation. We are committed to an alliance with Israel and the idea of ??jointly achieving a better future, "the Under-Secretary of State assured..
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman presented the audience a video message from President Donald Trump.
"Congratulations," said Trump, "we have been waiting for this for so long".
Trump recalled that Jerusalem was proclaimed the capital of Israel 70 years ago. He again stressed that Israel is a sovereign state that has the right to choose which city will be its capital.
"We opened the embassy much earlier than planned," - said Donald Trump.
The head of the White House called Jerusalem a living testimony to the invincibility of the Jewish national spirit and promised that the United States will always together with Israel seek ways to achieve peace.
"God, bless the world, bless Jerusalem, bless Israel and the Palestinians, bless the United States of America," said Trump in his short video message.
The ambassador invited the leaders of the US delegation - the US Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin and the daughter and the presidential adviser - Ivanka Trump.
"On behalf of the US President, we first welcome you here in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel," said Ivanka Trump,.
Then the singer Hagit Yaso, the daughter of immigrants from Ethiopia, in English and Hebrew performed the song of Leonard Cohen "Hallelujah".
After a musical pause, the ambassador gave the floor to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, a seventh-generation Jerusalemite.
"Here, in your gates, we stood in the gates of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel," began his speech Reuven Rivlin. - For three thousand years we prayed, looking to Jerusalem, prayed for Jerusalem, and today this city is the heart of the Israeli state, its sovereignty, its government, legislative and legal system. Our devotion to Jerusalem is devotion not only to the city, but to all its inhabitants, this amazing microcosm, where Jews and Arabs learn to live together. And today Jerusalem has become a home for the US embassy. Let us thank God for this, "the President of Israel praised.
Rivlin thanked not only Almighty, but also American senators and congressmen who adopted resolutions on the transfer of the embassy to Jerusalem.
"Now America has a leader capable of fulfilling the promised," the Israeli president said.. "We are grateful to you, President Trump, and we hope that the leaders of other states will follow your example.". We hope that Jerusalem in the future will become home to adherents of different religions, united by love for this great city, "- such words ended Reuven Rivlin.
Then a special advisor and son-in-law of US President Jared Kouchner rose to the podium.
"I am so proud to be here today in Jerusalem, in the eternal heart of the Jewish people," said Kouchner, "and I am especially proud of the fact that I was honored to be here as personal envoy of US President Donald Trump".
Source: Vesti.