TORONTO (December 6, 2017) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) supports the United States' declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. This afternoon, US President Donald Trump formally announced this recognition, following reports of a plan to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 

"Since the establishment of Israel almost 70 years ago, Jerusalem has been the official capital of the country - serving as the home for Israel's legislature and supreme court. This is a day of historic significance, as the US formally recognizes a sovereign nation's right to declare its capital," said FSWC President and CEO Avi Benlolo. "While we have seen attempts by countries and official bodies to deny Jewish ties to this land, this formal recognition serves as a reminder that Jerusalem has been and always will be the capital of the Jewish democratic state of Israel." 

FSWC is hopeful that this recognition will inspire the Canadian government to further deepen its ties with Israel and look at acknowledging Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

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Media Contact: 

Avital Borisovsky  
Communications Associate      
416.864.9735 x 29 
aborisovsky@fswc.ca

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Follow us on Twitter at @CanadianFSWC for latest news and organization updates.

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Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is a top Jewish human rights foundation in Canada's organized Jewish community. It directly impacts over 100,000 people each year and 500,000+ peripherally. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and educational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, Spirit of Hope Benefit, Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimed Tour for Humanity. FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles which has won two Academy Awards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca. 

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