By Darcelle Lindor
President Trump, as a world leader, has promised to move the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. No official decisions have been made, but he is in the early stages of making the relocation a reality. A move like this would convey that America views Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and would shatter any possibilities of peace between Palestine and Israel.
The relocation of the U.S. embassy has been a debate for over twenty years. Since 1995, the law for this purpose is brought to the president for review every six months. President Trump will have his chance to accept or reject the law in May 2017.
A sign hangs on a building under construction in Jerusalem congratulating U.S. President Donald Trump, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. | Photo Courtesy: Mint Press NewsResponse from the Palestinian community
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Palestinian leaders believe that moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would not only violate international law but also spark violence and protest across Arab nations.[/su_pullquote]
Palestinian leaders remain adamant that the embassy move would not only violate international law, but would tarnish any hope of peace. The President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, has urged other world leaders like the King of Jordan, Abdullah, and the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, to help change Trumps views – fearing that moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would spark violence and protest across Arab nations. The Palestine Liberation Organization has threatened to cancel agreements between Palestinians and Israelis if the move occurs.
Israel has also been at war with Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist organization in Gaza and the West Bank, that aims to demolish the state of Israel and has been responsible for a number of rocket attacks on Israel. Moving the embassy would also cause more distress between Israel and Hamas. Osama Hamdan, Hamas’ spokesman, warned Trump of the dangers of interfering with the two countries’ volatile relationship and further explained how Palestinians would neither give up on Jerusalem nor their rights.
Demonstrators protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv against President Donald Trump on Jan. 21, 2017. | Photo Courtesy: HaaretzWreaking havoc for Palestinians
Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would simply deepen the rift between Israel and Palestine. It would also contribute to the years of injustice the Palestinian people have experienced.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]The abuse the Palestinians have endured has led to about eighty-two percent of them living below the poverty level in comparison to only twenty-eight percent of the Israeli community. [/su_pullquote]
No other country accepts Israels rule over Jerusalem because it would be in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 478. The resolution states that Israel violated international law after it proclaimed both East and West Jerusalem as its capital. Israel has transformed Jerusalem from a place of ethnic and religious diversity to a Jewish city. Since 1948, it has aimed to reduce the amount of Palestinians to increase the Jewish population. Israeli policies such as ‘Breach of allegiance’ have made it legal to demolish Palestinian homes and push them out of East Jerusalem. Israel is so determined to suppress Palestinians that theyve even closed down the Orient House, just one of the ten institutions theyve closed since 2002, which legally protected and represented the Palestinian community.
The abuse the Palestinians have endured has led to about eighty-two percent of them living below the poverty level in comparison to only twenty-eight percent of the Jewish community. America for years, has been a country that advocated peace and neutrality, but would be giving Israel more leverage to decimate the lives of the Palestinians if they placed their embassy in Jerusalem.
Featured Image Source: Malaysia Today
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