Short Takes

Uploaded on December 7, 2017

Dangerous move

President Donald Trump’s declaration of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem can lead to escalation of the Mid-East conflict, writes Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam.

US President Donald Trump in his familiar cavalier way has announced that the US embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem despite warnings from European and Muslim states that such a move would jeopardise US and international efforts made so far for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement.

Pope Francis has said Jerusalem belongs to all three Abrahamic faiths–Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which is a veiled disapproval of Trump’s action. This move has paved the way for Israel to appropriate the entire holy city ultimately. Trump’s rash move has in effect demolished a key understanding in the proposed agreement that East Jerusalem will be the capital of Palestine.

With this move the world community’s resistance against the idea of moving their national embassies to Jerusalem has been dented. European countries have been against this idea. Russia and China have expressed concern over the development.

Although for tactical and logistic reasons the US embassy will take a long time to move to Jerusalem, this step has ignited a great conflict. Now the US embassy’s move to Jerusalem is certain even though the actual move will take some time. This is an oblique support to Israeli claim over the whole of Jerusalem. It will not take too long for American camp followers to move their embassies to Jerusalem, thus confirming the deprivation of Palestinians.

Trump’s move is not surprising in view of a consistent American policy of support to the Israeli actions against Palestinians, including the ongoing deprivation of their land. In 1995, the US made a law to move its embassy to Jerusalem, but Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama postponed the move to avoid escalation. Now a tempestuous Trump has walked into what his wiser predecessors refused to tread.

Quite understandably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed satisfaction that step by step Israel is moving towards its ultimate goal. And towards that goal they have been able to take a giant step with the help of President Trump.

However, with this move the US has further alienated itself from the Arab and Muslim world. This also confirms that America is not run from Washington, but from Tel Aviv.  g