'This land is our land'

The decision of US' reckless President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and shift his country's embassy there surely has boosted his standing among America's influential Jewish organisations and Christian extremists who believe Jewish control over the city would be realization of a Biblical prophecy. No wonder he has described his decision as being "in the best interests" of his country. US' traditional Arab allies may be paying only lip-service to the Palestinian cause when they forewarned Trump about the dangers inherent in that "unjustified and irresponsible" move. Real perils lie ahead.
Palestinians have been disillusioned with their leadership for its failure to deliver on the peace process despite huge costs they have been paying in lives lost, economic blockades, homes demolished and agricultural lands confiscated by the occupation forces to build ever new Jewish settlements, restrictions on their movements, and access to the Al-Aqsa mosque. Yet they have rallied again because Jerusalem is at the core of Palestinian identity and nationhood. They see it as the capital of a future though elusive Palestinian state. They are not going to let an American president gift Jerusalem that was theirs until 50 years ago to the Jews on a three-thousand-years-old claim. US' friends in the UN Security Council, including Britain, France, Italy, Sweden and Japan have come out strongly to condemn its unilateral action calling it "unhelpful to peace." Meanwhile, Turkish President Tayyib Erdogan is playing an increasingly assertive role in the Middle Eastern affairs. It remains to be seen how the Palestinian leadership turns international support to its advantage.
One thing is sure: the US role as a Palestinian-Israeli peace mediator is dead in the water, as pointed out by President Mahmoud Abbas at the recent OIC summit. There are no two opinions about the fact that Washington's reputation in the region is badly damaged. That though was expected when Trump appointed his son-in-law Jared Kushner - whose charitable foundation had been funding illegal Israeli settlements - as the Mideast peace envoy. Predictably, Kushner's 'efforts' to work out a Palestinian-Israeli peace plan failed right at the start. What he was pushing for is now out in the open. According to Trump, his "decision is recognition of reality". It of course does not matter to him that the reality is that of an illegal occupation repudiated by a number of UN Security Council resolutions and international law. Moving the embassy to Jerusalem will not change that reality; it is a recipe for trouble, though. The injustices done to Palestine and its people have long been the key cause of anti-West sentiments in the Muslim world. Those closely looking at Trump's move and getting angry are not only the Palestinians but many others. Trump has given a new cause to extremists like al Qaeda remnants, the IS and their sympathizers to fight for. They may already be preparing to attack US interests in the region and within the US homeland as well.
Last but not least, 29-year-old Palestinian double amputee Ibrahim Abu Thurayyah was killed by Israeli forces yesterday. Two days before he was killed, he filmed a message to the Israeli army: "This land is our land. We are not going to give up. America has to withdraw the declaration [recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital] it made."