JERUSALEM - The US announced the relocation of its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in December 2017, recognising the city as the country’s capital as opposed to wider international practice. The move sparked massive clashes on the Gaza border that lasted for several months and led to a multitude of casualties. The Florida Cabinet has passed a resolution, originally proposed by the state’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

What was different about the resolution in comparison to the US move in December 2017 is that it acknowledged Israel’s claims to the entire city. Patronis noted that the resolution sends a clear message to the Jewish state, which he called the United States’ closest ally in the Middle East. He also praised the Florida governor’s earlier decision to put the Airbnb online booking service on a Scrutinized Companies List over the firm’s decision to delist accommodations located in the Jewish settlements on the territory of the West Bank.

The governor called Airbnb’s move discrimination against the Jewish people.

Florida, which has a significant Jewish population (around 630,000 according to local newspaper Tampa Bay Times), and is known for its pro-Israel policies. The state adopted several laws banning Florida’s businesses from dealing with entities participating in the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) and similar movements, aimed at imposing an embargo on Israel. The US announced the relocation of its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, despite warnings from the international community, in December 2017, with US President Donald Trump officially recognizing the Jewish state’s claims on the city to be its capital.

The move sparked massive clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers on the Gaza border, leading to numerous casualties and injuries, mostly among Palestinian protesters. The IDF denounced the protests as organised by Hamas in order to infiltrate Israel and conduct attacks from within.