Focus on a solution

Donald Trump does not shrink from following through on the promises he made during his election campaign. The President said he would recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instruct the State Department to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv. Yesterday, he did just that, to much international condemnation.

Mr Trump was accused of reversing decades of official American policy, which had hitherto accepted that Jerusalem would be a joint capital under a two-state solution to the Arab-israeli dispute. However, the President pointed out that his predecessors had failed to end the dispute, so there was merit in trying something else that might. The question is whether it will concentrate minds on the need to reach a solution, or make matters worse.

Israel treats Jerusalem as its de facto capital. However, the old city, which is home to some of the holiest shrines in Islam, Christianity and Judaism, is claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians. The fear is that Mr Trump’s démarche will trigger unrest among Palestinians and possibly another intifada on the West Bank.

But the reality is that the Arab states are no longer fixated on the Palestinian cause, nor do they regard a settlement with Israel as a panacea for the Middle East’s ills. For countries like Saudi Arabia, the principal enemy is no longer Israel but Iran. Indeed, the response of Arab leaders was muted, with King Abdullah of Jordan saying the decision underscored the urgent need to revive the search for a two-state solution. Mr Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has been trying to get a new peace initiative off the ground. The President needs to commit himself wholeheartedly to that process.