The three network newscasts seemed to be doing their best to stir the public up into a full-blown panic Wednesday evening, feverishly slamming President Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. They were clutching their pearls as they freaked out about how Trump was “reversing nearly 70 years of U.S. policy.” But they failed in their duty to report how in 1995 Congress passed a law requiring the U.S. to move the embassy there.
As CBS Evening News came on the air, new anchor Jeff Glor sounded out of breath when he hastily announced that the State Department wanted diplomats to limit their travel to the holy city. “The department is concerned about any possible violent reaction to President Trump's announcement today that the United States now recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel for the first time since the Jewish state was founded nearly 70 years ago,” he reported.
“President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel rejects the policy of previous presidents and the recommendations of his secretaries of state and defense,” CBS White House Correspondent Major Garrett would go on to complain. CBS was the only network to begin with the embassy move instead of the wildfires in California, which was rather interesting.
The reporters on ABC’s World News Tonight came off as acting the most distraught. “And the other major news tonight, President Trump reversing nearly seven decades of U.S. Policy. Now recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital,” declared anchor David Muir, echoing Glore.
“He had promised this day would come, but to hear these words from the White House was jaw-dropping,” shuddered ABC’s Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz. “Not only signing a proclamation reversing nearly 70 years of U.S. policy, but starting plans to move the embassy to Jerusalem. No one else on Earth has an embassy there!” Throughout her entire report, one would infer a sense of great angst from her as if she was preparing for a catastrophe.
Raddatz highlighted the dire warnings of Palestinian President and glorified terrorist Mahmoud Abbas who claimed the move would cause “wars that will never end.” And when it came to those who supported the President’s decision: “Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, clearly relishing the move,” she spat.
NBC Nightly News also focused on claiming the move upended “seven decades of US policy changed in an instant.” The move “puts the U.S. on an island. Every other country more than 80 of them with an embassy in Israel has theirs in Tel Aviv,” noted White House Correspondent Hallie Jackson.
Jackson was the only one to recall that previous presidents wanted to move the embassy. But she claimed “widespread consensus and United Nations policy that the fate of Jerusalem should be one of the last decisions negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians,” changed their minds.
While they all parroted the assertion Trump was destroying 70 years of U.S. policy, all three refused to acknowledge the fact that what Trump was doing WAS and HAD BEEN our policy since 1995. The law passed by Congress was literally titled “Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995.” The law’s directive stated that “the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.” But ever since its passage, presidents have been signing waivers to put it off.
The law was a crucial fact that the media were willfully omitting. It was also a fact that was called out by HLN host S.E. Cupp before the nets came on the air. “Even though a 1995 act directed this exact thing to happen 22 years ago and prior presidents just signed waivers to avoid doing it, Trump's announcement is being framed as a controversial move that could shake up the mid-east peace process, undermine regional stability, and lead to violence.”
Transcripts below:
CBS Evening News
December 6, 2017
6:31:23 PM EasternJEFF GLOR: Good evening. The State Department is asking U.S. diplomats around the world to put off all non-eventual travel to Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank until later this month. The department is concerned about any possible violent reaction to President Trump's announcement today that the United States now recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel for the first time since the Jewish state was founded nearly 70 years ago. Mr. Trump also ordered the State Department to begin planning to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a campaign promise. Major Garrett is at the White House.
(…)
MAJOR GARRETT: President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel rejects the policy of previous presidents and the recommendations of his secretaries of state and defense.
...
ABC
World News Tonight
December 6, 2017
6:36:07 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: And the other major news tonight, President Trump reversing nearly seven decades of U.S. Policy. Now recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and planning to move the American embassy there, saying it will advance the peace process. But tonight, swift reaction from some of our key allies. One calling it unhelpful, another calling it regrettable. Here's ABC's Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz again tonight.
[Cuts to video]
MARTHA RADDATZ: He had promised this day would come, but to hear these words from the White House was jaw-dropping.
(…)
RADDATZ: Not only signing a proclamation reversing nearly 70 years of U.S. policy, but starting plans to move the embassy to Jerusalem. No one else on Earth has an embassy there.
(…)
RADDATZ: But the reaction, swift. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas saying it could lead to "Wars that will never end." The Turkish foreign minister calling it "A grave mistake." Britain's prime minister calling it "Unhelpful" to the peace process. French President Macron saying it was "Regrettable." And protests. Palestinians burning the U.S. and Israeli flag, declaring Jerusalem their capital and saying the blood of martyrs won't be wasted. The only positive comments overseas?
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: This is a historic day.
RADDATZ: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, clearly relishing the move.
(…)
...
NBC Nightly News
December 6, 2017
7:05:28 PM Eastern(...)
HALLIE JACKSON: Good evening, Lester. The President here is making a risky bet that doing something different will eventually end up productive for peace talks, but he's about the only one making that bet. This decision, which is not likely to be undone by future presidents, is one of the most controversial and potentially consequential of his administration.
(…)
JACKSON: Seven decades of US policy changed in an instant.
DONALD TRUMP: Today we finally acknowledge the obvious, that Jerusalem is Israel's capital.
JACKSON: President Trump will also move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, which could take three or four years, and which puts the U.S. on an island. Every other country more than 80 of them with an embassy in Israel has theirs in Tel Aviv.
TRUMP: While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today I am delivering.
JACKSON: There are reasons those other presidents changed their views. Like widespread consensus and United Nations policy that the fate of Jerusalem should be one of the last decisions negotiated between Israelis and Palestinians, but this president made a promise –
(...)
