Trump’s embassy move will ‘open gates of Hell’
Outrage from 1.5bn Muslims throughout the world and Hamas threatens new Intifada as Trump says Jerusalem is Israel’s capital
THE Middle East was plunged into turmoil last night after Donald Trump defied global opposition and formally recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Ignoring dire warnings from Muslim and European leaders, and the Pope, that he risked blowing up any chance of peace in the Middle East, the President said he would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv.
The move, which was a Trump election pledge to please pro-Israel voters and evangelical Christians, is deeply symbolic as Jerusalem remains the world’s most fiercely contested city.
However, it met with fury across the Middle East. In Bethlehem, on the West Bank, Palestinians burned photos of Mr Trump. The US consulate warned Americans in Jerusalem and the West Bank of possible violence.
And Hamas, the militant group running Gaza, said the move ‘opens the gates of hell’ and called for a Palestinian ‘day of rage’. It also threatened to launch another violent uprising, or Intifada, against Israel.
Turkish deputy prime minister Bekir Bozdag said Mr Trump ‘is plunging the region and the world into a fire with no end in sight’. And a Palestinian delegate to the UK branded the move a ‘declaration of war’ against the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said Trump’s announcement ‘was premature and illadvised and…unhelpful to efforts to reach a resolution of the Middle East peace process.’ He conveyed his concerns to the US government yesterday along with many leaders from around the world.
Ireland remains fully committed to supporting both parties to reach a peaceful, negotiated solution to the Middle East Peace Process, something which is essential for Israel to secure its future, and for Palestinians to enjoy their full political rights,’ he said.
British prime minister Theresa May called for calm and an atmosphere ‘free from violence’. She said: ‘We disagree with the US decision. We believe it is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region. We call on all parties to work together to maintain calm.’
She also said the UK had no plans to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state and the international community has for decades refused to recognise the city as Israel’s capital without Palestinian agreement. Ending nearly 70 years of US foreign policy, Mr Trump said recognising Jerusalem was ‘a recognition of reality’. Israel’s parliament, supreme court and various government ministries are already all there. He insisted it would strengthen rather than weaken the search for peace.
Mr Trump, who has vowed to broker the ‘ultimate deal’, emphasised that the move did not contradict his administration’s commitment to finding lasting peace in the region and an agreement that was acceptable to both sides.
‘It is time to officially recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,’ he said. ‘This is a long overdue step to advance the peace process and to work towards a lasting agreement. While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering.’
Mr Trump did not exclude Palestinians from their claim on the holy city but was vague on whether the US was recognising Jerusalem as the sole capital of Israel or whether the city could be split and also provide a Palestinian capital.
Pope Francis said he was ‘profoundly concerned’ and appealed that all sides ‘respect the status quo’ of a city that is important to Jews, Christians and Muslims.