Britain must lead united international response to Trump’s reckless move on Jerusalem

Britain must lead united international response to Trump’s reckless move on Jerusalem

7 December 2017

Caabu condemns the rash decision of President Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to start moving the US Embassy there from Tel Aviv.  This breaks a long-held international consensus that the future status of the city should be determined through negotiation.  It also rewards Israel’s illegal actions in altering the physical, demographic and institutional structures in the city and for maintaining an occupation of East Jerusalem for over 50 years. This disqualifies the United States from any role as an impartial, honest broker in any future peace talks.

Commenting in the media, Caabu Director, said that: “The move by President Trump to recognise Jerusalem is highly dangerous and inflammatory.  It will exacerbate tensions, risk major violence and even sink his “peace plan” before he even floats it.  It will do nothing to resolve the fate of Jerusalem, a divided, contested city sacred to three faiths, inhabited by two peoples whose future is meant to be determined by talks.  The President ignored and brushed aside the rights and future of Palestinians from Jerusalem most of whom live under occupation, suffer from systematic discrimination and denial of rights. 

The danger is that unless Palestinians take the streets, riot and demonstrate their outrage, American and Israeli leaders will argue that it was all a fuss about nothing.  This is why ensuring that a viable negotiating process is vital to ensure Palestinians have confidence that talks can lead to their freedom and respect for their rights.”

The focus should also be on the very concrete measures that undermine any chance for a peace deal and the two-state solution. Israel is expanding settlements at huge rate; demolishing Palestinian communities, Palestinian homes including in Jerusalem and doing everything to cement a 50-year-old occupation as permanent.  Caabu’s Chair, Rt. Hon David Jones MP warned in Parliament that this American move risks being “interpreted as acquiescence in Israel’s illegal programme of settlements.”

It is time that Britain joins with other states to push forward a viable peace process, stand up to Israel’s illegal measures and demonstrate that international law still does mean something.  It was clear in the House of Commons on 7 December that there was near unity across the aisles about the negative implications of President Trump’s move.  It is time that Britain works to demonstrate that this unity is reinforced internationally and highlight just how completely isolated the White House on this issue.

 

Ends…

Notes to editors:

1)    For more information or interviews contact Chris Doyle, on + 44207 832 1321 or +447968 040281.