Washington (CNN) US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Sunday cited "the will of the American people" in defending President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US Embassy there.

"For 22 years you have had presidents and the American people ask for the embassy to be moved, and no president -- not Clinton, not Bush, not Obama -- actually had the courage to make that move and listen to the will of the American people," Haley said on CNN's "State of the Union."

On Wednesday, Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and announced plans to move the US Embassy to the city.

"Today, we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel's capital," Trump said Wednesday. "This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the President's announcement . But the decision brought swift condemnation from Palestinian leaders and several nations and sparked clashes around the world.

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