Capital crisis 

Capital crisis 

Context

By recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the U.S. has endangered the peace process

Author’s contention

President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite warnings at home and abroad, will worsen the Israel-Palestine conflict

Jerusalem: At the heart of conflict

• Jerusalem, which houses holy places of all three Abrahamic religions and is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians, is at the very heart of the dispute
• Israel built its seat of power in West Jerusalem decades ago and occupied the East during the 1967 war, and later annexed it. Palestinians insist that East Jerusalem should be the capital of their future state

Decision by Mr Trump

Mr. Trump has in effect endorsed the Israeli claims to East Jerusalem

Possible motivation

The decision will likely help bolster Mr Trump’s image among the Jewish lobby in Washington as well as American evangelical groups, his social base

Relevant questions

Mr. Trump’s move raises vital questions about U.S. diplomacy in the region besides putting new roadblocks in the peace process

Move can be viewed as illegal

• It could be viewed as illegal as the Israeli claim that Jerusalem “complete and united” is its capital has been declared “null and void” by UN Security Council Resolution 478, which also asks member-countries to “withdraw diplomatic missions from the Holy City”
• The U.S. is now acting against the spirit of this resolution

Impact of the move

• The move might trigger another cycle of protests and repression in the Occupied Territories
• In 2000, Ariel Sharon’s visit to the al-Aqsa compound in the Old City sparked the second intifada. Palestinians are expressing similar distress today. Hamas has already called for a third intifada

Possible solution

• The Israeli-Palestine conflict can be settled only after an agreement is reached on the status of Jerusalem. The city was not part of Israel in the original 1947 UN plan to partition Palestine. Jerusalem, which was supposed to be ruled by an international trusteeship, was conquered by Israel. This is why the UN has not recognised it as Israel’s capital

Conclusion

With his latest announcement, Mr. Trump has endorsed the occupation. And in doing so, he has undermined the U.S.’s position as a neutral broker in Israeli-Palestinian talks. In short, he has dealt a blow to the peace process