Jerusalem is a hotly contested city, with claims from both Israel and Palestine for the religiously significant Israeli capital. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, decided on Wednesday, December 6th, that the United States should move their embassy to Jerusalem, thus recognizing it as the capital of the country, despite possible negative reactions from other nations.

Though the move is expected to take at least two years or longer, there are major protests taking place that have resulted in violence on both sides, and even some deaths of “instigators” on the Palestinian side. This unexpected move has inspired major backlash from Palestine, and Turkey has stated that it may sever diplomatic relations with Israel if the move takes place.

Donald Trump is not the first president, however, to suggest this move, as both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush also had the plan to move the embassy, just the first to go through with the move. Recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is a risky move, and one that could very easily sour relations between numerous Middle Eastern nations. Only time will tell.