Netanyahu undermined US embassy move to Jerusalem, claims ex-MK

Following Washington’s announcement postponing the relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a former Israeli MK (Member of Parliament, the Knesset) has launched a verbal attack on Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel National News reported on Wednesday. Moshe Feiglin accused the prime minister of spoiling the plan.

#OccupiedJerusalem

According to the report, the head of Zehut (Identity) party said that Netanyahu showed US President Donald Trump that he has no interest in making political change, so the chance to move the embassy was lost. “As we have warned time and again in the past,” explained Feiglin, “Netanyahu is the one who prevented the transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem and we see the results of this policy at present.” This, he added, leaves Trump no option but to continue the policies of his predecessor.

He issued a warning that the US would impose a lot of pressure on Netanyahu to start new peace talks. “Thanks to Netanyahu and his right-wing government we can now expect increasing American and international pressure to initiate a peace procedure which may have destructive results for Israel.”

Read: Israel is delaying the US embassy move not the USA

The former MK criticised Netanyahu’s way of dealing with Trump, saying that the prime minister welcomed Trump’s election but effectively turned him into a more potent version of Obama, for which all Israelis will pay the price.

A senior US official informed Israel recently that Trump had extended an order preventing the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem. The international community does not recognise Israel’s annexation of Jerusalem nor the claim that it is the Zionist state’s “undivided and eternal capital”, even though government buildings are located there. While America and other countries have consular presence in Jerusalem, their embassies remain in Tel Aviv.