EU Must Accept Palestine as State

MADRID Again, American President Donald Trump has made a unilateral effort in foreign policy this time, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. And once again, Trump has misinterpreted the realities of the Middle East. Since his latest movement -- which rejects the 70-year-old international consensus -- could severely exacerbate the region -- it is necessary for the European Union to step forward.

The politics for the Middle East of the Trump administration lies in the updated alliance between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Every American president since John F. Kennedy has made his first visit abroad either to Mexico or to Canada or to Europe. But not Trump. He went to Riyadh, where he participated in a summit of 54 states that have majority Muslims and gave a promotional speech about Iran, which he thinks should not be part of the international community.

After Saudi Arabia, Trump also paid a visit to Israel, where he continued to use anti-Iranian rhetoric. Saudi Arabia and Israel do not maintain diplomatic relations with each other, but both are allies of the United States, and they have a common opponent: Iran. In November, Israel's chief of defence forces, Lieutenant Gadi Eisencott, openly said he wanted to co-operate in intelligence with Saudi Arabia towards Iran.

“With President Trump,” said Eisencot, “has an opportunity to build a new international coalition for the region. ”

The relationship between these two countries has been assisted by Saudi Arabia's newly crowned prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who is taking a course of modernisation, within the country, but also in foreign policy. Earlier this month, Salman was moved to propose a peace plan between Israel and Palestine that would have been very favourable for Israel, although the United States and the Saudi government have denied these reports.

In any case, Trump has wanted to take advantage of these circumstances by striking a diplomatic blow. Yet, his decision on Jerusalem moves Saudi Arabia to stand before a dilemma: whether the protection of the Palestinian issue should take priority, or whether it should normalise relations with Israel as a means to fight Iran.

Some Saudis seem to hope for the latter, proposing that they ignore these stinging questions about Jerusalem's status and the Palestinian issue in general. Trump, too, has tried to add a distinction in his statements, saying he was not taking sides in the Israeli-Palestinian issue of Israel's sovereignty in Jerusalem, and that the American embassy would not move from Tel Aviv immediately [to settle in the known capital].

But, as former US envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations Martin Indyk says, Americans “can try to limit the damage as much as they want, but it won't come out because Jerusalem is a very sensitive issue. That reality was reflected in the explosion of street protests across the Middle East immediately after Trump made the announcement, although the violence and a large scale some feared has not yet happened.

Furthermore, the Islamic Co-operation Organisation held an extraordinary summit in Istanbul, where its members reaffirmed “the importance of the Palestinian issue and Al-Quds Al-Sharif [Jerusalem] for Umetin Mysliman,” recognising eastern Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, and powerfully condemning Trump's actions.

No Muslim appears to be prepared to forget that Jerusalem is the house of Al-Aqsa mosque, the third to the sanctuary in Islam. King Salman of Saudi Arabia referred to Moscow when warning Trump how much harm the decision could cause for Jerusalem. And when Trump announced his decision, the Kingdom taunted him as being “unwarranted” and <x2 irresponsible”.

The simple truth is that Saudi Arabia cannot distance itself from the Palestinian issue and allow other states like Turkey or even Iran to hold the protest leader against the decision. That would mean a tactical mistake similar to that when they broke up with Qatar a few months ago. It would also be very difficult, if not impossible, for Saudis to support the plan that was radically different from the Arab Peace Initiative, known as the Saudi “initiative initiative,” which was approved in 2002, and was adopted by the Arab League this year.

The Trump scenario in which Saudi Arabia sided with Israel to get Palestinians to make peace will not materialize. First, Saudi Arabia is not in the position to halt Israel's claims on Jerusalem. Second, a strategy that does not allow Palestinians to talk about their fate, and the fate of Jerusalem will never be achieved. And third, the Trump administration, including its son-in-law Jared Kouchner, who has entrusted the US role in the peace process between Arabia and Israel, is filled with businessmen, not politicians, and as Kouchner himself has recently said. But Jerusalem, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more widely, is too tense to be treated as business issues.

Although Trump has not removed the possibility of a two-state solution... an effort undertaken by the United Nations. [ Footnote] The UN can have the last nail in its coffin. The only way to save him, or even to bring the Israelis and Palestinians back to a negotiating table, is to work towards a playing field on many levels. Here, the EU must take the lead and send a message that it is as powerful as necessary, that immediately as 70% of UN member states have already done to recognise the state of Palestine.

The road to a two-state solution should start with the Initiative for Arab Peace, which stipulates that the Arab League will recognise Israel if it will reconsider its pre- 1967 borders, though the alternative, more gradual efforts should be considered. A two-state solution that would allow Israel to retain its Jewish and democratic character, and that would guarantee the stability of the state of Palestine still underscores the most creditable way to get out of Arab-Israel delight. But if we're going to get a <x0 division due to respect” that Yitzhak Rab conceived in the 1900s, there's no time to lose.

Subtitle by: Periscope