Jerusalem Soccer Club Embraces Trump Name Eschewed by Others

(Bloomberg) -- An Israeli soccer team has changed its name to honor President Donald Trump as the U.S. moves its embassy to Jerusalem.

“For 70 years Jerusalem been awaiting international recognition, until President Donald Trump, in a courageous move, recognized Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel,” the Beitar Trump Jerusalem football club -- formerly known as the Beitar Jerusalem Football Club -- said on its Facebook page.

“President Trump has shown courage, and true love of the Israeli people and their capital, and these days other countries are following his lead in giving Jerusalem its rightful status,” it said.

The move comes as some companies in the U.S. are removing the president’s name from their buildings. In Israel, Trump is broadly seen as more supportive than his predecessor Barack Obama, who clashed repeatedly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, at the end of his term, allowed the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution slamming Israeli policy in Jerusalem.

Trump, who vowed during his campaign to move the embassy from Tel Aviv, will address invitees to Monday’s opening ceremony via video conference. Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan are among the U.S. delegation.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alisa Odenheimer in Jerusalem at aodenheimer@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shaji Mathew at shajimathew@bloomberg.net, Michael S. Arnold

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