Daily Brief: Trump to Recognize Jerusalem as Israeli Capital
Council on Foreign Relations Newsletter If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view. December 6, 2017 Daily News Brief TOP OF THE AGENDA Trump to Recognize Jerusalem as Israeli Capital U.S. President Donald J. Trump is expected on Wednesday to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, going against seven decades of U.S. policy (NYT) toward the region. The administration called the move a "recognition of reality" that the city is the seat of Israel's government. Trump will order the U.S. embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (Al Jazeera), a process expected to take years. Leaders in Europe and the Middle East have rebuked the decision to formally recognize the city, which is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians, as the country's capital, claiming it could jeopardize peace efforts in the region. Turkey vowed to cut off diplomatic relations with Israel (Bloomberg), while Jordan said the move will have "dangerous repercussions" (Reuters). ANALYSIS "With the Middle East already dealing with several major crises, the decision to change the U.S. position on this subject now is likely to inflame tensions both within Israel-Palestine as well as the broader region," Murtaza Hussain writes for the Intercept. "[Jerusalem] is a place where diplomats have learned to tread with extreme care. There is a reason why no U.S. administration, no matter how pro-Israel, has changed its policy toward the city in the nearly seventy years since Israel's founding," Jonathan Freedland writes for the Guardian. "Israelis are seeking this simple act of recognition at a time when their country's very future—not to mention its age-old ties to Jerusalem—is continually cast in doubt by the region's tyrants," writes Talia Dekel-Fleissig for the Jerusalem Post. PACIFIC RIM South Korean Minister Questions North's Nuclear Capability South Korea's foreign minister said there is "no concrete evidence" that North Korea has mastered the technology (Korea Times) needed to launch a nuclear weapon on a long-range missile, despite the regime's declarations it has done so. This CFR Backgrounder examines North Korea's military capabilities. AUSTRALIA: The online retailer Amazon launched in Australia on Tuesday (SMH). Online shopping currently makes up between 8 and 13 percent (BBC) of the country's retail sales. SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA Dozens of Militants Killed in U.S.-Afghan Raids Afghanistan's intelligence agency said eighty militants and a senior member of al-Qaeda (Tolo) were killed in joint U.S.-Afghan raids this week near the border with Pakistan. Twenty-seven suspected members were arrested (VOA). UZBEKISTAN: Tashkent and Kabul have signed an agreement to expand a railway that connects the two countries, paving the way for eventual links from Uzbekistan (Reuters) to Iran and the Persian Gulf. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Pentagon Suggests U.S. Troops to Stay in Syria A Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday that U.S. troops in Syria, currently numbering around two thousand, will be there for "some time" (AFP), adding that there will be no set timeline to determine the withdrawal of troops. Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert S. Ford writes in Foreign Affairs that keeping out of Syria is the least bad option. SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Switzerland to Return Millions in Looted Assets to Nigeria Switzerland and Nigeria have signed a memorandum of understanding (Vanguard) to return $320 million allegedly stolen by the late military leader Sani Abacha, who was accused of stealing up to $5 billion from Nigeria (BBC) when he ran the country in the 1990s. Switzerland has already returned some $700 million over the last decade. SOMALIA: The semiautonomous region of Puntland appealed for humanitarian aid on Tuesday after declaring a state of emergency (Reuters) due to severe drought. EUROPE Plot Targeting UK's May Foiled Two men were arrested last week for what security officials said was a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Theresa May (Guardian). The security services chief said some nine plots by Islamist extremists had been thwarted since March (BBC). RUSSIA: The International Olympic Committee has banned Russia from the 2018 Winter Games (NYT) in South Korea over charges of systematic doping. Russian athletes who receive a special dispensation to compete will wear neutral uniforms. AMERICAS Venezuela's Ambassador to UN Resigns Ambassador to the UN Rafael Ramirez announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he was instructed by President Nicolas Maduro to step down (DW). Ramirez said he expected to be ousted after he wrote pieces critical of the government's management of the economy. CFR's Shannon K. O'Neil discussed the Venezuelan government's increasing desperation in an interview with Bloomberg. UNITED STATES Thousands Evacuate as Wildfires Spread Near Los Angeles Some two hundred thousand people across four California counties were ordered to evacuate following an outbreak of wildfires that started Monday (NPR). Some two hundred homes have already been destroyed. The country's homeless population has increased for the first time since 2008 (Guardian), spurred by a housing crisis along the west coast, according to a new federal study. GLOBAL Bitcoin Trading Tops $12,000 The Bitcoin price surge continues, with the cryptocurrency trading for more than $12,000 (Bloomberg) for the first time on Wednesday. Council on Foreign Relations — 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065 CFR does not share email addresses with third parties. 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From: dailybrief@e.cfr.org
Date: December 06, 2017 at 11:13PM
