‘US declaration on Jerusalem adds fuel to the fire in destabilized Middle East region’
Donald Trump’s announcement on Jerusalem is an extremely dangerous move which will destabilize the situation in the Middle East with possible escalating violence and tension in the coming days, experts told RT.
After President Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to move the American embassy there from Tel Aviv, protests were held across the Palestinian territories. Demonstrators burned tires and threw objects at security forces who responded with tear gas and water cannon.
Hamas called for a new uprising and declared Friday a 'day of rage.'
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Meanwhile, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley explained that “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, no one doubts that,” adding "the US has always put embassies in the capital."
She said that decisions about the ownership of parts of Jerusalem should be made by the Israelis and Palestinians.
"That's for the two sides to decide," Haley told the CNN. "That's not for the United States to decide."
Meanwhile, European leaders and the UN were quick to voice their concerns over Washington's step.
RT discussed with analysts possible consequences for the region following the US decision.
Dr. Mkhaimer Abuseda, professor of political sciences at Alazhar University says the protests could become worse.
“The declaration by the US President Donald Trump… has been considered by many Palestinian and Arab leaders as a declaration of war against Palestinian, Arab and Muslim feelings who recognize Jerusalem, or Al-Quds, as one of their sacred Muslim sites. We have seen rallies, protests, and demonstrations in many Palestinian cities, in Gaza, in Ramallah, in Bethlehem, and also in … Amman, Jordan, Istanbul, Lebanon. And we do believe that and expect that maybe tension will escalate in the coming days as a result of this US declaration which is adding fuel to the fire in the destabilized Middle East region,” he said.
Earlier, Shia paramilitary group Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba said the US decision may become a “legitimate reason” to attack American troops in Iraq. And that threat is “very serious,” according to Seyed Mostafa Khoshcheshm, Iranian journalist, and political analyst.
Also, in his view, an “uprising” has already started following Washington’s move. Khoshcheshm says there’s “only a couple of steps from peace negotiations to armed struggle all across the Palestinian lands and probably all throughout the Muslim world.”
“The first major move which is more difficult is giving up hopes of talks. That is what the decision by the White House did. The second move which would be very easy considering the Israeli atrocities and barbaric moves, including the air raid that just has started in the Gaza Strip is turning the uprising into an armed struggle that would happen very soon. We are mainly witnessing a landmark move started by the White House, and it would surely increase the momentum of developments with regard to the Palestinian issue,” he said.
Nadia El-Nakla, Convener of the SNP Friends of Palestine, called the recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital “a huge strategic move” by the US which is “extremely dangerous and will destabilize the situation even further.”
“The violence could escalate, and it will be the Israeli and Palestinian citizens that suffer…If [Trump] wanted to do something that was positive for the peace deal, he could have ended the siege of Gaza, or he could have recognized it as an international city – Jerusalem being a capital of Palestine and Israel. He just wants to antagonize situation,” he said.
