Recognition by US of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

            

On December 6, 2017 USA president Donald Trump officially declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordered to shift its capital from Telaviv to Jerusalem, this sparked widespread turbulence and this move was condemned by countries all over the globe. At the United Nations Security Council a motion was proposed condemning the move of USA but it was vetoed by the USA after a 14-1 vote . Later United nations General Assembly passed a motion with 128 to 9 votes condemning the decision.

What is the cultural and strategic significance of Jerusalem-

1. Jerusalem is closely related with the genealogical trajectory of the three Abrahamic faiths-Christianity, Islamism and Judaism.

2. According to Islamic traditions, Jerusalem was the direction of prayer or Qibla until it was changed towards the Ka’aba in Mecca by Prophet Mohammed in February 624.

3. The central elements of Christianity like the last 13 steps of Jesus, the Crucifixion and the resurrection are linked to Jerusalem.

4. For the Jews, Jerusalem is the holiest place which was home to their two ancient temples subsequently destroyed by various invading armies. At present only the western wall remains.

5. Israelis also believe that one of their temples remains buried under the Al-Aqsa mosque, the present Islamic place of worship.

6. The disputed territory of Gaza coastline on the Levant basin is endowed with 1.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and it provides strategic depth and protection to Israel during war.

Analysis of the effect of this decision on various stake holders-

1. The Peace Process- This US decision has badly affected the peace process. Any hopes of reviving meaningful talks between Israel and Palestine have been lost for some time and it has unleashed more bloodshed between Hamas (Militant faction of Palestine) and Israel. US is no longer considered a fair agent to broker peace.

2. The region- Trump’s decision has further destabilized an already volatile region. The Turkish president has said that it would cut-off all diplomatic ties with Israel. Saudi Arabia, a close ally of US, also believes that the US move damages Riyadh’s continuing efforts to rekindle a peace deal. The Arab countries that border Israel- Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria have all condemned the move.

3. The Palestinians- The Palestinian people see this announcement as the end of their hopes and demands for East Jerusalem as capital of the future Palestinian state and most of them would feel that diplomatic efforts have brought them nowhere close to a state of their own and would see direct action as an alternative.

4. The state of Israel – The Israeli government is thrilled and ever since it captured (and later annexed) East Jerusalem in the 1967 six day war, Israel has claimed the city as its “eternal and undivided capital” and has longed for international recognition. Trump’s decision will reinforce the view of many Israeli politicians that there is little to be gained by negotiating with the Palestinians.

5. Europe- Most western European countries will be deeply alarmed by US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but a key question is that whether EU would take action such as robustly enforcing bans on imports from West Bank settlements and refusing to deal with Israeli businesses operating from occupied territory.

6. Christians in the Holy land- The Church leaders and senior leaders in the Holy Land have sent a letter to Trump warning of “ irreparable harm” as this move would further increase hatred, violence, conflict and suffering in Jerusalem moving us away from the goal of unity and deeper towards destructive division. Church leaders would be anxious to protect Christian sites there.

Indian stand on this issue- Until 1992 India followed a cautious policy of recognition without relations with Israel for over four decades. India’s normalization of relations with Israel was followed by the establishment of a diplomatic mission in Tel Aviv, Israel’s current working capital. After establishment of The Palestine National Authority in 1994, Indian mission was established in the Palestinian territory, reiterating the legal separation between Israel and Palestine. Until recently India’s support for a Palestinian state was accompanied by an explicit reference to East Jerusalem being the Palestinian capital, even in The UNGA India condemned the US move by voting against it. So, India is not becoming a clear cut ally of any of the sides.

Conclusion-

                     President Trump’s decision is more a political propaganda rather something worth substantive as it has unnecessarily stirred up the controversial issue and would result in more bloodshed and would jeopardize years of efforts of a peaceful settlement. I personally believe that is a dispute between two parties who are staking their legitimate claims over Jerusalem. So, they should arrive at a mutual consensus (without the interference of a third party) that they both can live with.