Temporary capital of Lithuania historical grounds, as the city was the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. However, the city was multi-ethnic and other groups laid similar claims. Belarusians saw it as the capital of the Belarusian nation and laid claims to the heritage of the former Grand Duchy; Jews saw it as the capital of Yiddish culture; Poles saw it as a Polish-inhabited city. As Soviet forces pushed westward to spread the global proletarian revolution, German Ober-Ost administration evacuated and the Lithuanians withdrew to Kaunas. Vilnius was captured by the Red Army on January 5, 1919. During the Polish–Soviet War the city
United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel former ambassadors, such as Martin S. Indyk stated that they were open to recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, provided Israel would agree to slow settlement construction and recognize East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. American Christian organizations were divided: the National Council of Churches (NCC) which represents 38 different denominations issued a statement saying the change in policy was likely to exacerbate regional conflict and cost lives, while the Liberty Counsel, a right wing evangelical organization supported the decision. The move had been supported by many conservative American evangelical organizations and leaders including American Christian Leaders for Israel,