Temporary capital of Lithuania during the invasion of Poland, to Lithuania according to the Soviet–Lithuanian Mutual Assistance Treaty. Since then Vilnius has been the capital of the Lithuanian SSR and then independent Lithuania. Lithuania refused to have diplomatic relations between Poland and Lithuania until the ultimatum of 1938. Railroad traffic, telegraph lines or even mail could not cross the Polish–Lithuanian border. Lithuania continued to declare Vilnius as its capital in all official documents, including the constitution. Since the city was controlled by Poland, all Lithuanian authorities were transferred to the city of Kaunas, which became the seat of the government. To reconcile reality with
United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel Bezalel Smotrich of the religious zionist Bayit Yehudi party issued the following statement: "For 30 years we have fallen into the pit of the Palestinian state as a realistic solution. The time has come to rethink things". Avi Gabbay, who was recently elected to lead the Zionist Union, also supported Trump's announcement, saying that recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital is more important then a peace deal. Israel's Deputy Education Minister Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism party said building in "parts of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem that need housing would be better than a declaration that means nothing".