For many years, Israel was told that recognizing Jerusalem as its capital would harm regional stability, undermine relations with the Arab world, and lead to escalation. But in practice, the opposite occurred. Moderate Arab states did not sever ties with Israel, the Abraham Accords emerged shortly afterward, and Israel’s regional and international standing only grew stronger.
The embassy move also constituted a correction of a longstanding historical distortion. For thousands of years, Jerusalem has been the heart of Jewish national identity. No other nation or religion established it as its capital, and no other people carried its name in their prayers, memory, and national consciousness as the Jewish people did.
But the central lesson of that day is not only historical. It is diplomatic.
It is impossible to build peace on foundations of falsehood. Diplomatic truth is not an obstacle to peace, but a prerequisite for it. For decades, American presidents repeatedly postponed implementing the law to move the embassy to Jerusalem, believing that diplomatic ambiguity would help advance a solution. President Donald Trump chose to break this conception when he understood that postponing the decision did not advance peace, but preserved an illusion. And therefore, מתוך a realist worldview, he concluded and said at the time: “Old challenges demand new approaches.”
In Israel, it is also important to remember the element of courage in this decision. President Donald Trump chose to make a decision that many in Washington had warned against for decades, yet history proved that recognizing the truth strengthened stability rather than weakened it. On this day, we here in Israel remember friendly leaders not only for warm words, but also for courageous decisions that were etched into the history of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
The lesson Israel must remember remains clear even today: nations respect peoples who respect themselves. Foreign policy is not built only on diplomatic phrasing, but on national backbone. When Israel stood clearly for its right to Jerusalem, it discovered that the world does not respect weakness or hesitation, but consistency, strength, and faith in the justice of one’s cause. Israel succeeded precisely because it refused to apologize for its very existence and for its capital.
In the world in general, and in the Middle East in particular, it is impossible to build peace on ambiguity designed to preserve an illusion. Whoever seeks to appease by blurring historical truth does not bring a solution closer, but prolongs the life of the lie. In contrast, leadership that connects historical truth with courageous diplomatic decision-making is what changes the boundaries of the possible and brings sustainable solutions closer.