White House officials: Jerusalem decision hurts peace process
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President Donald Trump’s decision Wednesday to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital has temporarily derailed the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, two senior White House officials acknowledged after Trump’s speech.
The question now for those officials: For how long?
“We’re prepared for derailment — temporary, I hope. Pretty sure it will be temporary,” said a senior White House official, who acknowledged that the President’s peace team has not spoken with furious Palestinian officials since the Trump’s announcement.
That “derailment” was a cost the White House was prepared to accept to fulfill Trump’s campaign promise. And two senior White House officials said they felt making the announcement now — before Israelis and Palestinians have reached the negotiating table — would help mitigate the damage to the peace process.
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