The city of Jerusalem's religious and political significance means it cannot be used for the interest of a group of businessmen who donated to U.S. President Donald Trump's election campaign. Sadly, however, we have now become used to the unending mistakes made by the Israeli administrators. And the latest announcement by the U.S., which is not even favored by most Israeli citizens, has exacerbated the chaos in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not taken a single step to establish permanent peace in the region, a fact constantly voiced by European Union politicians, who support Israel in a diplomatic tone. When Trump declared that the U.S. embassy in Israel would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, only Netanyahu and far-right Israeli groups supported the announcement. On the other hand, the world public, common Israeli citizens and the Jewish people, who side with permanent peace in the region through a two-state solution, has strictly opposed the decision because Jerusalem is far too significant to be sacrificed through wrong policies.
Disregarding this special position of the city will disrupt the balances in the region, something the U.S. presidents before Trump understood very well as they recognized their responsibility to world peace. At least, they adopted the right stance in the context of Jerusalem.
The European Union is also clearly opposed to the decision. Netanyahu must have understood this on his visit to Brussels last week, when EU foreign ministers told him that Jerusalem could not be solely owned by Israel, making it clear that the EU will not accept any other alternative than Jerusalem being the capital of both Israel and Palestine under a two-state solution. This stance of the EU is crucial.
The controversial decision, strongly opposed by all countries except the U.S. and Israel, must not mislead us. Since those making this decision predicted such reactions, they plan to extend the process. Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem is a gradual process that might continue for two years. But their plans are not likely to succeed since Palestinians, who are tormented by the current Israeli government, have demonstrated that they will not allow this scheme. It is almost impossible to break the rightful resistance of Palestinians.
Although Israeli military and police resorted to all kinds of violence, such as jailing 16-year-old children and mistreating them, they must know that Palestinians will never recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. All of Israel is already a jail for Palestinians, thus breaking their resistance with troops and jails are impossible. It means that the region will witness more bloodshed and casualties unless the decision is revoked. But such violence must be prevented. We cannot allow more casualties in occupied Palestinian territories. We cannot victimize innocent Palestinians and Israelis to wrong policies.
Turkey has taken on a great responsibility on the issue. President Erdoğan yesterday met the leaders of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul as part of an extraordinary summit over the Jerusalem issue. Some 48 representatives of Islam countries, including presidents, prime ministers, and kings, came together in Istanbul to discuss Jerusalem's future.
The entire world, particularly the EU, must side with the calls and decisions of the 48 Islamic countries while those yet to recognize the Palestinian state must do so now, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The U.S. and Israel must be left alone in their plans to make Jerusalem Israel's capital. Every step taken toward permanent peace and a two-state solution has to be supported. The holiness and historic significance of Jerusalem cannot be tarnished. The Jerusalem issue is crucial for world peace and humanity. The EU must be more active to deal with the issue and support the OIC's decision.