Jerusalem is once again a city of discord. Trump’s tactless decision on Jerusalem has thrown 70 years of diplomacy to the wind. It has plunged the Middle East peace process into total disarray inflaming renewed violence in the region. On Saturday all 14 members of UNSC unanimously condemned Trump’s provocative decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The last 11 US Ambassadors to Israel are against Trump’s move. Both Secretary of State, Secretary Defense and US’s European allies told him ‘don’t do this’. Saudi royal court said the decision “represents a significant decline in efforts to push a peace process and is a violation of the historically neutral American position on Jerusalem.” Turkey’s President Erdogan blamed Trump for “throwing the region into a ring of fire.” Hamas takes on Trump as rage mounts: “We are coming, Jerusalem. We will not concede of one sand.” Thirty years ago Palestinians were undergoing days of rage in what they called ‘First Intifada’ which sparked on Dec 8,1987. Thirty years on the ‘Third Intifada’ is happening due to Trump’s insensitive anti -Muslim stand. Clashes continue in Gaza, West Bank and Jerusalem. Armed with U.S. weapons Israel, the only remaining apartheid state in the world has started bombing Gaza killing 8 and wounding 200 civilians.
Jerusalem has a deep spiritual resonance for all three Abrahamic faiths for which the holy city holds a unique status. In 1947 UN approved a partition plan to split Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. The plan granted special status to Jerusalem. Envisaged as an international city in 1948 Jerusalem was divided between Transjordan which annexed the Old City and the rest of East Jerusalem, and Israel, which held West Jerusalem. But over the years Israel completed its occupation of entire Palestine along with Jerusalem using force. In 1967 war Israel occupied East Jerusalem and in 1980 declared Jerusalem as its ‘eternal’ capital. International community called it illegal occupation and the UN passed a resolution declaring Israel’s move null and void.
For Jews Jerusalem is the repository of their memories of King David and his son Solomon’s 78 year rule. For Christians it is the scene of their Saviour’s agony and triumph. For Muslims Jerusalem is the goal of their Prophet’s mystic night journey and the site of their third most sacred shrine. About 1000 BC Jerusalem was captured by David, king of Israel. In 922 BC Egyptian pharaoh destroyed the city. In 63 BC Roman emperor Pompey captured Jerusalem. The conversion of Roman emperor Constantine to Christianity in 324 led to the building of Christian shrines in Jerusalem including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In 614 Persians invaded Jerusalem, massacred the city and destroyed churches. In 638 the Muslim Caliph Umar 1 entered Jerusalem and in 688-691 the 10th caliph Abdal Malik Ibn Marwan built the Dome of the Rock. In 969 control of Jerusalem passed to Shiite Fatimid caliphs of Egypt. In 1071 Seljuk Turks defeated the Byzantines, displaced Egyptian masters and cut the pilgrim route thus causing crusades. Then after 461 years of Muslim rule in Jerusalem, the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem lasted from 1099 to 1187, when it was overthrown by Saladin the Great. In 1247 the Holy City fell to the Mamluks of Egypt and remained until 1517 when the Ottoman Sultan Selim 1 took control of the city and established a Turkish administration that was to last exactly 400 years. Thus from historical records Jewish kingdom of David and Solomon lasted 78 years from 1000 BC to 922 BC. The Christians controlled Jerusalem from 326 to 638 and then from 1099 to 1187,totaling 400 years. The Muslims on the other hand ruled Palestine with control on Jerusalem continuously from 638 to 1924 (with 88 years’ break- 1099 to 1187) when Ottoman Turkish Empire became a Republic. So Jerusalem remained under Muslim rule for 1190 years. From 1924 to 1948 British administered Jerusalem as a mandate before its fate was decided by UN in 1948.
Trump’s decision to declare Jerusalem as Israel’s capital defies history, legality, international principles, agreements signed and resolutions passed. It also puts America’s Middle East allies in a tough spot and given Jerusalem’s emotional connect within the Muslim world, no Arab nation can now afford to defend Trump’s delinquent recklessness. The Israel- Palestine conflict can be categorized as the mother conflict that spawned Muslim armed resistance, to begin with. It has now become a civilizational war between Muslims and Judaeo-Christian western order. This ideological conflict impelled Muslims to undertake jihad against injustices to the ummah. Trump’s abnormal behavior has ignited the fire of resistance.
There are other reasons why Trump’s decision could have dire consequences for the Middle East. U.S. has lost its credibility as honest broker in Israel-Palestine peace negotiations. Palestinians are not going to negotiate with U.S. Stake holders in the dispute had in recent years veered around the two state solution that envisages an independent Israel and a Palestine state living side by side. The final status of Jerusalem was to be decided through direct negotiations between the parties to the dispute. Trump’s erratic decision has put the cart before the horse. Now the entire process is in tatters.
All concerned people wonder why Trump made the senseless move and why he chose this particular time to do it. Trump is the disruptor. He isolated U.S. in all fronts depriving it of its leadership role. He has chosen this time because he is about to face treason charge for conspiring against U.S. during 2016 election. Netanyahu, the only other beneficiary of the decision is suspect in two serious criminal investigations. Whatever be the reason Trump has given away the sacred city of Muslims, Christians and Jews to Netanyahu like a piece of real estate property.
[Writer is a former Member of Parliament and retired Civil Servant]
