Monday 14 May 2018 – Violence and protests in Jerusalem on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Israeli state

It is seventy years today since the head of the Jewish Agency, David Ben-Gurion, proclaimed the establishment of the state of Israel which, seventy years later, is still a source of anger, hostility and violence from Palestinians. They were offered a state of their own in 1948 but rejected it. Partly as a result of this the Palestinians have been rejected and treated as second-class citizens in Israel ever since and the Israeli state have repeatedly and consistently marginalised them and suppressed them. Today, on the 70th anniversary of the creation of Israel the situation is unchanged with Israeli forces killing at least fifty-eight Palestinian protesters who have been protesting for several weeks on the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel in the build-up to the anniversary and in opposition to the imminent opening of the new US embassy in Jerusalem.

Despite Israel’s claims that Jerusalem is their capital city and their control over the city, it remains a deeply divided city with Palestinians laying claim to the eastern part of the ancient city. Israel have occupied eastern Jerusalem since 1967 and declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel in 1980. Over the years they have ignored international law and condemnation to illegally build many settlements in the east of the city, settling some 200,000 Jews on land claimed by Palestinians as their own. Many nations moved their embassies from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv after 1980 and before Donald Trump decided to move the embassy back to Jerusalem, all Western embassies had remained in Tel Aviv. This decision by Trump has angered the Palestinians and, of course, has pleased the Israelis as it by default confers legitimacy from the Trump administration for Israel’s continuing occupation and control of the whole of Jerusalem. This is despite the fact that until Trump no Western government had recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the future of the city was supposed to be part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

The latest protests from the Palestinians are part of what Hamas is calling “The Great March of Return,” which Israel say have been going on for six weeks and are attempting to breach the heavily-guarded border fence. Hamas, of course, are the group who control the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army said that 10,000 “violent rioters” had gathered along the fence and that its forces had operated “in accordance with standard procedures.” While there has clearly been violence from the Palestinians, with tyres being burnt and stones and incendiary devices thrown at Israeli forces, it seems that “standard procedures” for Israeli soldiers is to open fire with live ammunition and to use planes and heavy weapons on so-called Hamas military positions. At least 58 Palestinians, including children, have been killed and around 2,700 injured. Reports also suggest that a Palestinian baby also died after inhaling tear gas. The Guardian said that 35,000 people have been taking part in protests at twelve locations. The Israeli army says this is more like 40,000 in thirteen locations. The death toll for one day is thought to be the greatest since the 2014 Gaza War. Many more have been killed since the latest protests began six weeks ago, with thousands wounded.

Tensions are reaching a peak with Hamas saying it is in a state of conflict with Israel and that it would step up protests before tomorrow’s official commemoration of what they call the Nakba, or Catastrophe of 1948. Hamas says it wishes to make it clear that Palestinians will not accept being occupied forever. A science teacher, known as Ali who lives in Gaza, reflected this when he told Reuters: “Today is the big day we will cross the fence and tell Israel and the world we will not accept being occupied forever.”

Although President Harry S. Truman recognised the state of Israel just one day after it was established and the US has been a steadfast supporter of Israel ever since, the United States has maintained decades of neutrality on the recognition of Israel’s claim to Jerusalem. This was shared by most of the international community, which made Trump’s declaration in December even more problematic and only helped to isolate the US president further from traditional allies. This, combined with last week’s announcement that the US is pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Deal, only strengthens the resolve of the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Like his populist policies in the United States itself, Trump’s decisions relating to Israel have only emboldened the hardliners in that country with some, for instance, using the renewed support to proudly brandish Trump’s name while calling for “death to Arabs.”

Photo: US Ambassador to Israel David Freedman greets Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner (right)

The new US embassy will not move from Tel Aviv for a while yet, but today an interim embassy will begin to operate in the US consulate building in Jerusalem, with the opening ceremony being deliberately brought forward to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel – further provocation to the Palestinians. Donald Trump did not attend in person, but appeared by video link. His daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner are in Jerusalem, along with the US ambassador to Israel David Friedman. Mr Friedman is himself a fierce supporter of Israel and, in particular, supports the continuing settlement of Jews in East Jerusalem. Also representing the Trump administration are Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.

In his video address President Trump said that the moving of the embassy to Jerusalem had been a “long time coming” and said that “Israel is a sovereign nation with a right to determine its own capital but for many years we failed to acknowledge the obvious.” Despite the provocation Mr Trump’s decision has caused in the Gaza Strip, the President added that the United States was “committed to facilitating a lasting peace movement.” The moving of the embassy to Jerusalem is in no way going to contribute to the so-called peace process. It will only make things worse and it more difficult for the Palestinians and Israelis to ever come to an acceptable compromise.

At the ceremony at the US Consulate, Ivanka Trump unveiled the seal of the embassy and her husband, Jared Kushner – who has been keeping a low profile in recent months in the US – gave an address in which he said: “When President Trump makes a promise he keeps it […] We have shown the world that the US can be trusted. We stand by our friends and allies.” Mr Kushner also spoke of the Iran Nuclear Deal, receiving applause from the guests, when he called it a “dangerous, flawed and one-sided deal.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the gathering, saying: “What a glorious day. Remember the moment. This is history. President Trump, by recognising history, you have made history. All of us are deeply grateful.” Mr Netanyahu added that Mr Trump’s decision was “courageous and just” and said it was “an important step towards peace, for there is no peace that doesn’t include Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel,” arguing that Jerusalem had “been the capital of Israel for nearly 70 years.”

Speaking last Thursday, Mr Netanyahu said in a speech: “President Trump has inscribed himself in the annals of our capital for all time. […] His name will now be linked to the names of others in the context of the glorious history of Jerusalem and our people […] We are already in contacts with other countries that will declare similar recognition,” adding: “It’s about time.” Mr Netanyahu certainly knows that stroking Mr Trump’s megalomania and ego will work wonders.

On the other side of the argument, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority (right) described Trump’s decision as the “slap of the century” and questioned whether the United States could any longer be considered a neutral broker in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, even suggesting they could no longer have a role in the long-standing and difficult process. A spokesman for Mr Abbas added: “With this step, the US administration has cancelled its role in the peace process and has insulted the world, the Palestinian people and the Arab and the Islamic nation and it has created incitement and instability.”

The Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit said that it was “shameful to see countries participating with the US and Israel in celebrating the former’s embassy move to occupied Jerusalem in a clear and grave violation of international law.”

The leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniya, called for a new “intifada” (“uprising”) and said: “The American decision is an aggression against our people. It’s a declaration of war against our Palestinian people. […] We should call for and we should work on launching an intifada in the face of the Zionist enemy.”

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the move saying it was “throwing the region into a ring of fire. […] What do you want to do Mr Trump? What kind of approach is this? Political leaders exist not to create struggles but to make pace.” Mr Erdogan’s Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu took to Twitter arguing that “this decision is against international law and relevant UN resolutions…”

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman spoke to Mr Trump last week warning him that the relocation of the embassy or recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “would constitute a flagrant provocation of Muslims all over the world,” while a Saudi royal court statement – also last week – called the decision “unjustified and irresponsible. […] The US move represents a significant decline in efforts to push a peace process and is a violation of the historically neutral American position on Jerusalem.”

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi warned against “complicating the situation in the region by introducing measures that would undermine chances for peace in the Middle East.” The Arab League said the measure would have repercussions in the region and questioned America’s future role as a “trusted mediator” in peace talks. Iran said the decision risked a “new intifada” and also pointed out it violates international resolutions.

Jordan’s King Adbullah called for efforts to “deal with the ramifications of this decision,” and a Jordanian government echoed the growing consensus that the decision violates international laws and UN charters. Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun said it would set back the peace process by decades, while Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Adbul Rahman Al Thani said it was “a death sentence for the peace process.”

Beyond the Middle East condemnation and concern over Mr Trump’s decision continued. Pope Francis said: “I cannot silence my deep concern over the situation that has emerged in recent days. At the same time, I appeal strongly for all to respect the city’s status quo, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions.” The UN’s Secretary General António Guterres said President Trump’s statement “would jeopardise the prospect of peace for Israelis and Palestinians.” He added that Jerusalem was “a final status issue that must be resolved through direct negotiations between the two parties. [… and such negotiations must take] into account the legitimate concerns of both the Palestinians and the Israeli sides.”

The European Union (EU) called for “resumption of a meaningful peace process towards a two-state solution” and said “a way must be found, through negotiations, to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both states, so that the aspiration of both parties can be fulfilled.” The EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said: “[the announcement] has a very worrying potential impact. […] It is a very fragile context and the announcement has the potential to send us backwards to even darker times than the ones we are already living in. […] The worst thing that could happen now is an escalation of tensions around the holy places and in the region because what happens in Jerusalem matters to the whole region and the entire world.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said that Germany “does not support this position because the status of Jerusalem can only be negotiated within the framework of a two-state solution.” French President Emmanuel Macron said the decision was “regrettable” and called for efforts to “avoid violence at all costs.” UK Prime Minister Theresa May expressed concern that the decision could lead to an escalation of tensions in the Middle East. A UK Government statement said: “The British embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it. […] Our position on the status of Jerusalem is clear and longstanding: it should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. In line with relevant [UN] Security Council Resolutions, we regard East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”

Photo: The Dome Of The Rock, an Islamic Shrine in the Old City of Jerusalem which was completed in the late 7th century

It is fair to say that Jerusalem is the key to lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. It is also apparent that there will never be peace as long as both Israel and the Palestinians lay claim to the city as its capital. Both Israel and the Palestinians agreed in the 1993 Peace Accord that the future of Jerusalem would be negotiated in the final stages of any peace talks. Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as the future capital of a Palestinian state. When Israel was created in 1948 the new state accepted Jordanian rule over East Jerusalem, or the Old City, and only claimed sovereignty over West Jerusalem. This changed in 1967 when Israel occupied the Old City during the Six-Day War. Since then they have occupied the Old City and have attempted to undermine any Palestinian claim to the Old City by creating settlements in East Jerusalem and settling some 200,000 of their citizens there. This is clearly in a brazen – and illegal under international law and treaties – effort to create a situation where people, and more importantly foreign governments, begin to accept that the Israelis are in East Jerusalem, they are settled there, have every intention of staying there, and therefore what’s the point of arguing otherwise. Donald Trump has deliberately reinforced this with his decision in December to formally recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and now to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed city.

Israel and the United States bizarrely claim that recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will help the peace process for, as Israel says, there can be no peace that doesn’t include Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Therefore, I argue, there will be no peace. At present the US stands alone among the major powers of the world in recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but others may in time follow suit. This, of course, is exactly what the Israeli’s want and should it happen it will place intolerable pressure on the Palestinians to accept the de-facto situation. At present I cannot see that happening. In fact, as we are seeing today with violence in Gaza, Palestinians are only likely to increase their hostility, anger, frustration and violence towards the Israeli state.

In this declaration in December Trump spoke of the need to break the stalemate that has dominated over Jerusalem for decades. He has clearly thrown his administration in deep with the Israeli’s and has endangered even the remotest hope of peace that existed in the region. Netanyahu praised Trump for making history. It seems to me, however, that the only history Trump will be remembered for in the Middle East is for setting back what peace process existed by decades with his reckless recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and by thinking that his son-in-law Jared Kushner had the experience, diplomatic skills, or intelligence to bring peace to the Middle East!