The decision of the United States President Donald Trump to support the move of Israel’s capital as well as to carry the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a major step ‘down’ in the long-contested historical ties between Muslim-Israeli and United States relations. This discourteous move on the part of United States shows how little respect and dedication is given to peace between Palestinians and Israelis.
We can clearly see the persecution of Palestinians has not solely been in the hands of a cruel Israeli regime. The United States, despite drawing so much criticism, has always stood in silence by an oppressive regime responsible for the deaths of a large number of innocent Palestinian civilians.
The United States’ reckless policies and steps taken to destroy the peace process was demonstrated by Nikki Haley’s vote on behalf of the United States. Her remarks in defending the only vote at the UN Security Council was even more absurd considering that the majority realized how negligent of a move the US was making in the world scene. And yes, it actually does not end there. The bullying that comes right afterward is baffling. To reiterate the statement that “this vote will be remembered” is nothing less than a threat by a small giant that has been cornered for its grave mistake. Because the United States is so aware of its foolhardy decision it tries to recollect its battered-confidence by hurling around threats. Here is something that has not sunk in with the Trump administration. The decision was not only a suicide committed to the United States reputation but, it also automatically disqualified the United States’ leadership in driving the peace process.
After such a blow to its stature as a proponent of peace and democracy, today, we can clearly discern the fact that the U.S. has closed its chapter on being an advocate to ending global human rights injustices. By not recognizing the injustice done to the Palestinians, the United States should not be surprised at the antipathy it draws in due to its prejudiced and discriminatory behavior. Then comes the so-called gullible question of “why there is a rise in anti-American sentiment in the world?” The U.S. does not need to look any further than a mirror. While the saber-rattling by Haley continues, the world will become even more aware of the Trump administration’s stupidity for putting a dagger into what it has championed for decades as the plan to Middle East peace.
The decision arrived from members states at the United Nations General Assembly, indeed, is not a binding decision. However, the world is more cognizant than ever about the need to reform the archaic and inoperative peace process by the United States which has delayed the path to real peace: a two-state solution.
It would be absolutely futile to pass the blame to anyone here at this point since it is quite clear that destruction of the peace process was due to the imprudent behavior set by the United States. The United States is no longer just stating that it is protecting the inhumane actions of its Israeli partner but, it is now taking a step to create a systemic legitimation for Israel’s tyrannical behavior. This is a huge mistake on the part of the United States. In the past, the U.S. has somewhat tried to show a partisan attitude when it comes to Palestinian-Israeli relations and supposedly promoted the two-state solution as the only viable option to end the decade's long conflict. Donald Trump’s recent action, however, has solidified the United State’s position based on a discordant and sectarian stance. This means that the United States has formally sided with Israel over Palestine and dumped the two-state solution into the bin.
What we now see today at the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly is the United States making a terrible move officially marking its position on a global platform. It is terrible because the US is so blinded by its own religious fanaticism that it can no longer sustain leadership in contributing to the peace process in the Middle East. Unless the Trump administration backtracks on this decision and puts forward sound solutions and policies that are cogent for member countries of the UN to consider, the United States and Israel will be doomed to remain in the abyss (along with the other few).
But there is a way out. That is exactly what the OIC members under President Erdogan’s leadership have concluded after Trump’s remarks to move the capital of Israel to Jerusalem. If the United States can make such a move then so can other countries. The OIC gathered for an extraordinary summit on December 13, 2017 and collectively declared the capital of Palestine to be Jerusalem. This makes it a fair game.
It goes without saying that there cannot be a peaceful solution without treating both parties with justice and fairness. UN Secretary-General Guterres and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Mogherini, right after Trump’s declaration, made an immediate statement drawing attention to the need for a two-state solution. These statements clearly underscore the US action to support the move of Israel’s capital to be a major invalidation of the two-state solution. The decision of the UN General Assembly takes this decision to the next step by acknowledging the Trumpian policy to be contrary to everything that needs to be done in a peace process.
Either Jerusalem will be the capital of both Palestine and Israel, agreed to by all parties, or this means the United States and Israel have stricken a major war into a battleground for only one state. In this case, the ball is on the US-Israeli court. Either this havoc created by both of these countries retract their decision or, we are looking at a one-sided attempt at undoing a peace process in an attempt to escalate regional turmoil.
It does not matter which side you look from. It is clear that overcoming this unethical decision means that Peace and Justice are worth everything in the name of human dignity.