Well, the Trump administration is here to make matters more bewildering and stressful for everyone. First, out of the blue, President Donald Trump announced on Dec. 6 that he was formally recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, tossing aside 70 years of careful American neutrality and infuriating Palestinians, who also want their capital to be in Jerusalem. Passports of Americans born in Jerusalem will continue to say born in Jerusalem, not Israel. More than 50 Muslim leaders, meeting in Istanbul on Wednesday, criticized the decision and urged the world to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyWith Vice President Mike Pence set to visit Israel next week, Palestinian leaders are refusing to meet him.

Source: New York Times December 16, 2017 02:26 UTC