NATION/WORLD
Thursday, December 7, 2017
East Oregonian
Page 7A
Trump declares Jerusalem Israeli capital
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President
Donald Trump shattered decades
of unwavering U.S. neutrality on
Jerusalem Wednesday, declaring the
sorely divided holy city as Israel’s
capital and sparking frustrated
Palestinians to cry out that he had
destroyed already-fragile Mideast
hopes for peace.
Defying
dire,
worldwide
warnings, Trump insisted that after
repeated peace failures it was past
time for a new approach, starting
with what he said was his decision
merely based on reality to recognize
Jerusalem as the seat of Israel’s
government. He also said the United
States would move its embassy from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, though he set
no timetable.
“We cannot solve our problems
by making the same failed assump-
tions and repeating the same failed
strategies of the past,” Trump said,
brushing aside the appeals for
caution from around the world.
Harsh objections came from a
wide array of presidents and prime
ministers. From the Middle East
to Europe and beyond, leaders
cautioned Trump that any sudden
change on an issue as sensitive as
Jerusalem not only risks blowing up
the new Arab-Israeli peace initiative
led by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared
Kushner, but could lead to new
violence in the region.
No government beyond Israel
spoke up in praise of Trump or
suggested it would follow his lead.
Israelis and Palestinians reacted
in starkly different terms. Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
hailed Trump’s announcement as an
“important step toward peace,” and
Israeli opposition leaders echoed
his praise. But Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas said Trump’s shift
serves extremist groups that want
religious war and signals U.S. with-
drawal from being a peace mediator.
Protesters in Gaza burned American
and Israeli flags.
Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem
as Israel’s capital is a powerfully
symbolic statement about a city
that houses many of the world’s
holiest sites. Trump cited several:
the Western Wall that surrounded the
Jews’ ancient Temple, the Stations of
the Cross that depict Jesus along his
crucifixion path, the al-Asqa Mosque
where Muslims say their Prophet
Muhammad ascended to heaven.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump holds up a proclamation to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of
Israel, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Wednesday in Washington.
“We cannot solve
our problems ... by
repeating the same
failed strategies
of the past.”
— Donald Trump,
President of the United States
AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi
Palestinian burn a poster of the U.S. President Donald Trump
during a protest in Bethlehem, West Bank, Wednesday.
And there are major ramifications
over who should control the terri-
tory. The United States has never
endorsed the Jewish state’s claim of
sovereignty over any part of Jeru-
salem and has seen the city’s future
as indelibly linked to the “deal of
the century” between Israel and the
Palestinians that Trump believes he
can reach. Beyond Kushner, Trump
has dispatched other top emissaries to
the region in recent months in hopes
Bel-Air wildfire joins the siege
across Southern California
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A wildfire
erupted in Los Angeles’ exclusive Bel-Air
section Wednesday as yet another part of
Southern California found itself under siege
from an outbreak of wind-whipped blazes
that have consumed multimillion-dollar
houses and tract homes alike.
Hundreds of homes across the L.A.
metropolitan area and beyond were feared
destroyed since Monday, but firefighters
were only slowly managing to make their
way into some of the hard-hit areas for an
accurate count.
As many as five fires have closed
highways, schools and museums, shut down
production of TV series and cast a hazardous
haze over the region. About 200,000 people
were under evacuation orders. No deaths and
only a few injuries were reported.
From the beachside city of Ventura, where
rows of homes were leveled, to the rugged
foothills north of Los Angeles, where stable
owners had to evacuate horses in trailers,
to Bel-Air, where the rich and famous have
sweeping views of L.A. below, fierce Santa
Ana winds sweeping in from the desert
fanned the flames and fears.
“God willing, this will slow down so the
firefighters can do their job,” said Maurice
Kaboud, who ignored an evacuation order
and stood in his backyard with a garden hose
at the ready.
Air tankers that were grounded most of
Tuesday because of high winds went up
on Wednesday, dropping flame retardant.
Firefighters rushed to attack the fires before
the winds picked up again.
They were expected to gust as high as
80 mph overnight into Thursday, possibly
creating unprecedented fire danger.
The California Department of Forestry
and Fire Protection uses a color-coded wind
index in its forecasts. Tomorrow’s forecast is
purple, the most extreme conditions, which
has never been used before, director Ken
Pimlott said.
‘Silence Breakers’ named
Time’s Person of the Year
NEW YORK (AP) — The “Silence
Breakers” — those who have shared their
stories about sexual assault and harassment
— have been named Time magazine’s
Person of the Year.
Numerous women have spoken out
publicly since October about sexual
misconduct by dozens of high-profile men
in entertainment, media, business and
sports. Time praised those who have given
“voice to open secrets, for moving whisper
networks onto social networks, for pushing
us all to stop accepting the unacceptable.”
The magazine’s cover features Ashley Judd,
Taylor Swift, Susan Fowler and others who
of advancing new negotiations.
Trump said he wasn’t delivering
any verdict about where an Israe-
li-Palestinian border should lie.
Instead, he described his Jerusalem
declaration as recognizing the reality
that most of Israel’s government
already operates from the city, and
he suggested the U.S. ally should be
rewarded for creating a successful
democracy where “people of all
faiths are free to live and worship.”
“Today we finally acknowledge
the obvious,” he said, emphasizing
that he wouldn’t follow past presi-
dents who tiptoed around Jerusalem
out of diplomatic caution.
U.S. embassies and consulates
around the world were put on high
alert. Across the Middle East and
Europe, they issued warnings to
Americans to watch out for violent
protests. In Jordan, home to a large
Palestinian population, the U.S. said
it would close its embassy to the
public Thursday and urged children
of diplomats there to stay home from
school.
Later Wednesday, the State
Department issued an updated
“Worldwide Caution” to U.S. citi-
zens abroad, advising travelers to
“be alert to the possibility of political
unrest, violence, demonstrations,
and criminal activities.”
There was little in Trump’s state-
ment to encourage the Palestinians.
Although he recited the longstanding
U.S. position that Jerusalem’s
borders must still be worked out
through negotiation, he made no
recognition of the Palestinian claims
to east Jerusalem.
For the first time, Trump did
appear to endorse the concept of an
independent Palestine existing along-
side Israel. Yet even that idea appeared
conditional, as he said he’d promote
the “two-state solution” if both sides
agreed. Netanyahu’s government is
dominated by hardliners who oppose
Palestinian independence.
Trump made no reference to
signing a waiver that officially delays
any move of the U.S. Embassy from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but the White
House confirmed he signed the
waiver Wednesday. It means there
will be no embassy move for at least
another six months. Establishing
a Jerusalem embassy was a major
campaign promise of Trump’s and
one that officials said he focused on
in discussions with top advisers in
recent weeks.
On Wednesday he focused on his
directive to the State Department
to begin a process of moving the
embassy as required by U.S. law,
however many years that might
take. After his speech, he signed a
proclamation to that effect.
In Germany, Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson said work will begin
immediately to identify a site.
A non-governmental expert
on the Middle East who consults
regularly with the White House said
the Trump administration had opted
against an earlier plan of converting
the existing U.S. Consulate in
Jerusalem to an embassy. Instead,
it’s looking to construct an entirely
new facility, said the individual, who
wasn’t authorized to disclose private
conversations with U.S. officials and
requested anonymity.
In making his decision, Trump
overruled more cautious counsel
from Tillerson and Defense Secretary
James Mattis, who voiced concern
about endangering U.S. diplomats
and troops in Muslim countries,
according to officials briefed on
internal administration deliberations.
Those officials were not authorized
to publicly discuss the matter and
spoke on condition of anonymity.
BRIEFLY
would raise questions about their ability to
govern.
While many Democrats seemed likely to
oppose the measure, enough were expected
to support it in the Senate to allow its
passage there. They know they’d still have
leverage on subsequent bills needed to keep
the government running.
House votes to kill Dem’s
resolution to impeach Trump
AP Photo/Reed Saxon
Maurice Kaboud makes a phone call after a wildfire threatened his home in the Bel
Air district of Los Angeles Wednesday. When firefighters told Kaboud to evacuate,
he decided to stay and protect his home. He stood in the backyard of his multimil-
lion-dollar home as the Skirball fire raged nearby.
say they have been harassed.
Time’s announcement was made
Wednesday on NBC’s “Today” show, where
longtime host Matt Lauer was fired last week
amid harassment allegations. “Today” host
Savannah Guthrie acknowledged Wednesday
that this year’s winner hits “close to home”
and mentioned Lauer by name.
Women who spoke out, initially against
Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and
then others, helped to spawn the #MeToo
movement, with millions of people telling
stories of sexual misconduct on social media.
As Franken’s support collapses,
Democrats expect resignation
WASHINGTON (AP) — His once-
promising political career in shambles,
Minnesota Sen. Al Franken appeared on the
verge of resigning after fellow Democrats
led by female senators abandoned him
Wednesday over the mounting allegations
of sexual misconduct that are roiling Capitol
Hill.
A majority of the Senate’s Democrats
called on the two-term lawmaker to get out
after another woman emerged Wednesday
saying he forcibly tried to kiss her in 2006.
That brought to at least seven the number of
women accusing him of sexual impropriety.
Franken, the former comedian who
made his name on “Saturday Night Live,”
scheduled an announcement for Thursday.
No topic was specified, but Democratic
senators said they expected their liberal
colleague to resign.
“Enough is enough,” said Sen. Kirsten
Gillibrand of New York. “We need to draw
a line in the sand and say none of it is OK,
none of it is acceptable, and we, as elected
leaders, should absolutely be held to a higher
standard.”
Gillibrand was the first to call for
Franken’s resignation on Wednesday, but a
torrent of Democrats quickly followed.
Congress seems on track to
avert government shutdown
WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite
incendiary words from President Donald
Trump, Congress seemed on track
Wednesday to approving legislation that
would avert a partial government shutdown
over the weekend as all sides seemed ready
to avert a confrontation — for now.
Increasingly confident House leaders
planned a Thursday vote on a bill that would
keep federal agencies functioning through
Dec. 22, and Senate approval was expected
to follow. Even the head of the conservative
House Freedom Caucus, whose members
have been threatening to oppose the
measure, predicted passage.
“No one wants a shutdown, including
Freedom Caucus members,” Rep. Mark
Meadows, R-N.C., told reporters.
The moderated tone reflected a sense
within both parties that though major
differences remain over spending,
immigration, health care and other issues,
this was no time for a headline-grabbing
government closure.
Republicans want the public focus to be
on the party’s prized $1.5 trillion tax bill,
which they hope to enact by Christmas.
They also have no interest in a shutdown that
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House
overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to kill
a resolution from a liberal Democratic
lawmaker to impeach President Donald
Trump as most Democrats joined
Republicans in opposing the move.
Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, said Trump had
associated his presidency with causes rooted
in bigotry and racism. To back his claim
accusing Trump of high misdemeanors,
Green cited incidents such as Trump’s
blaming both sides for violence at a deadly
white supremacist rally in Charlottesville,
Virginia, and his recent sharing of hateful,
anti-Muslim videos posted online by a fringe
British extremist group.
After his resolution was read aloud, the
House voted 364-58 to table the resolution.
All the no votes came from Democrats,
and four Democratic lawmakers voted
present. In all, 126 Democrats joined
Republicans in voting to table Green’s effort
in the GOP-led House.
President Putin announces
bid for 2018 re-election
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President
Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he would
seek re-election next year in a race he is
poised to win easily, putting him on track to
become the nation’s longest-serving ruler
since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
Putin’s approval ratings regularly top 80
percent, making him all but certain to win
the March election by a broad margin. While
few doubted the 65-year-old leader would
run, the delay in his declaring so fueled some
conspiracy theories and was seen as the
Kremlin’s political maneuvering.
The 65-year-old Russian leader’s
potential rivals include several luckless
candidates from past contests and a notable
newcomer — TV host Ksenia Sobchak, 36,
the daughter of Putin’s one-time boss.
The president chose to make his
re-election announcement at the GAZ
automobile factory in the city of Nizhny
Novgorod. The factory is a symbol of
Russian’s industrial might, and Putin found
an enthusiastic audience in the blue-collar
workers who make up the core of his base.
“I couldn’t find a better place and
moment,” he said to massive applause at the
plant. “Thank you for your support. I will
run for president.”