JTA: Why Democrats sat on their hands when Donald Trump celebrated recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel made it into his State of the Union speech.

“Last month, I also took an action endorsed unanimously by the Senate just months before: I recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” he said, to applause, mostly from Republicans.

Trump segued from that to a favored theme of his presidency — countries that contradict U.S. policies may no longer get U.S. funding, he said, noting a subsequent U.N. vote condemning his decision — but still, it was a significant moment. State of the Union speechwriters cull plenty in the process of shaping what from the previous year a president wants to tout as representing his vision. Jerusalem got in.