Readers React: Jerusalem’s capital-city status: Israel has the final word

To the editor: There is no question that the president has the authority to grant recognition to a state; however, I seriously question whether the president has the authority to define what city a country declares as its capital. (“This power lies with the president, not Congress,” Editorial, Nov. 3)

United Nations Resolution 181, which partitioned Palestine into Jewish and Arab countries, declared that there should be an “international regime” for Jerusalem. When the British mandate ended and the state of Israel came into existence, the Arab nations attacked.

When truce was declared, the Old City was in Jordanian hands, and West Jerusalem was Israeli. The world seemed satisfied with a divided city and separate governmental entities, an arrangement that remained unchanged until the Six-Day War broke out in 1967.

The Israeli government infrastructure is in West Jerusalem, in undisputed territory. Why should placing the U.S. embassy there be a problem if that area is uncontroversially part of Israel?

In any event, I find it strange that any country thinks it has the right to dictate where a sovereign nation establishes its capital.

Emanuel R. Baker, Los Angeles

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