The Untold Story of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995

The weekly podcast: How a U.S. presidential candidate found common cause with Israelis opposed to the peace process to pass a law that could now doom it.

The Israeli flag flies in front of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem on Dec. 1, 2017. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)
The Israeli flag flies in front of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem on Dec. 1, 2017. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)
The Israeli flag flies in front of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem on Dec. 1, 2017. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)

Bill Clinton didn’t want it, the Israeli prime minister was against it, and yet the U.S. Congress voted overwhelmingly 23 years ago to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Successive presidents blocked the law’s implementation until this year, when Donald Trump decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. An interview with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk.

Bill Clinton didn’t want it, the Israeli prime minister was against it, and yet the U.S. Congress voted overwhelmingly 23 years ago to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Successive presidents blocked the law’s implementation until this year, when Donald Trump decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. An interview with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk.

Read More On Israel | Palestine

More from Foreign Policy

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan's King Abdullah II, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi talk to delegates during the Arab League's Summit for Jerusalem in Cairo, on Feb. 12, 2023.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan's King Abdullah II, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi talk to delegates during the Arab League's Summit for Jerusalem in Cairo, on Feb. 12, 2023.

Arab Countries Have Israel’s Back—for Their Own Sake

Last weekend’s security cooperation in the Middle East doesn’t indicate a new future for the region.

A new floating production, storage, and offloading vessel is under construction at a shipyard in Nantong, China, on April 17, 2023.
A new floating production, storage, and offloading vessel is under construction at a shipyard in Nantong, China, on April 17, 2023.

Forget About Chips—China Is Coming for Ships

Beijing’s grab for hegemony in a critical sector follows a familiar playbook.

A woman wearing a dress with floral details and loose sleeves looks straight ahead. She is flanked by flags and statues of large cats in the background.
A woman wearing a dress with floral details and loose sleeves looks straight ahead. She is flanked by flags and statues of large cats in the background.

‘The Regime’ Misunderstands Autocracy

HBO’s new miniseries displays an undeniably American nonchalance toward power.

Nigeriens gather to protest against the U.S. military presence, in Niamey, Niger, on April 13.
Nigeriens gather to protest against the U.S. military presence, in Niamey, Niger, on April 13.

Washington’s Failed Africa Policy Needs a Reset

Instead of trying to put out security fires, U.S. policy should focus on governance and growth.