WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump rewound the videotape Friday to show how three predecessors — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — made promises on Jerusalem that they later backtracked on.
“I fulfilled my campaign promise – others didn’t!” he boasted on Twitter, posting a video montage of his predecessors to prove his point.
During their respective campaigns, both Clinton and Bush said they favoured moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, then changed their mind once in office.
Barack Obama never specifically addressed the question of moving the embassy but called Jerusalem “the capital of Israel”.
“As soon as I take office, I will begin the process of moving the US embassy to the city Israel has chosen as its capital,” Bush said in a speech in 2000, excerpted on the montage.
It concludes with an image of Trump’s speech on Wednesday announcing official US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and his decision to move the US embassy there.
In the speech, Trump alluded to the lack of “courage” of those who occupied the White House before him.
Tens of thousands of people protested Friday in several Arab and Muslim countries against Trump’s decision and in solidarity with the Palestinians.