An Israeli minister has revealed that Donald Trump had obtained a ‘green light’ from Arab countries for his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on last week.
Speaking to Israel’s Channel 10, Yisrael Katz, Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Intelligence, claimed the US administration had coordinated the move with Arab leaders prior to the decision, to ensure they would help contain Palestinian and Arab reactions.
Katz said that some Arab governments’ reliance on American protection is a key factor determining the nature of their reactions.
Regarding Saudi Arabia’s position on Trump’s move, Katz claimed Riyadh would take into account “shared security interests with Israel,” particularly in relation to common foe Iran.
Trump’s decision is “historical”,Katz mentioned,as it heads off any attempt by the Palestinians to invoke UN resolution 181 to partition Jerusalem and claim the Arab part of the city as their own under international law.
Donald Trump had informed several Arab leaders of his move a day before he made the announcement on Wednesday,suggested Katz.
Arab leaders have since issued strong warnings and called an emergency meeting of the Arab League, but made no mention of any specific steps against the controversial move that has already sparked protests across the Middle East.
In the same context, Israel’s News 10 said that Arab parties’ reactions and condemnations are not genuine and are misleading.
Israeli journalist and head of the Arab desk at the news channel, Zvi Yehezkeli also stressed that the announcement could not have been made without coordination between Trump and his regional allies.
Yehezkeli said,”I am not sure about the Arab countries’ reactions to this resolution,” he added,”the responses issued so far were not serious.”
There were many speculations that perceived Trump’s move as a part of the so-called Deal of the Century, which allegedly offers the town of Abu Dis close to Jerusalem as an alternative Palestinian capital.
The purported deal is said to have been discussed between Trump’s son in law Jared Kushner and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, however, Saudi Arabia has denied the reports.
Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital, a position nearly the entire world rejects saying its status should be determined in peace talks with the Palestinians.
According to international law, East Jerusalem, which includes the Old City, is considered an occupied Palestinian territory.
The Palestinians hope it would become the capital of their future state once agreed in final status negotiations with Israel, according to the 1993 Oslo Accords. Unfortunately,Trump’s move puts this hope in serious jeopardy.
On Wednesday, the US President Donald Trump declared his decision to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s new capital adding that the American embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
World leaders, from Europe to the Middle East to Australia, slammed the decision as a “unilateral and outside the vision of a negotiated peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” warning of heightened tensions or even violence across the Middle East.”
