M Hussain Hunarmal
IT is an axiomatic fact that the Jewish State of Israel has been the darling of both the UK and US since its foundation in 1948. However, among US presidents, President Donald Trump proved himself to be the most benevolent of this Jewish State by resolving a number of its hangover illegitimate demands. Despite the plight of helpless Palestinians who are already paying the price for Israel’s atrocities, it illustrates that pro-Zionist initiatives of the Trump Administration would lead to further tension in the Middle East because Israel is being backed by its masters to secure the kingship of the entire Middle East for itself. Donald Trump made several promises to Israel in his electoral race that he fulfilled at last after being elected President of the US.
For instance, Trump recognized for the first time Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and also shifted the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is viewed one of the holiest cities not only for Muslims but both for Christians and Jews by faith. The fate of this ancient city has been one of the thorniest issues between the Palestinians even all Muslim Ummah and Israel. Neither the international community nor the United Nations have recognized Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem so far. Of course, such controversial status of Jerusalem has never allowed a country to maintain its embassy here instead of Tel Aviv and now the US.
Similarly, according to 1993 Palestine-Israel peace accord, the fate of Jerusalem was to be solved through dialogue, not unilaterally as Israel did. Secondly, the US officially acknowledged Israel’s authority over Golan Heights, an area of 1,800 square km that mostly Israel snatched from Syria during 1967 Arab-Israel War. Thirdly, in the favour of Israel, Donald Trump took his latest step on January 28, 2019, by recognising Israel’s sovereignty over the historic Jordan Valley.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House, how false argument did Donald Trump make as saying that the Palestinians would get a vast area through his alleged peace plan. But the Palestinians assert the so-called peace plan would give them sovereignty over merely 15% of the Jordan Valley if it is implemented. Palestinians legitimately view the Jordan valley one of the component parts of Palestine but a vast area of which has been forcibly occupied by Zionists by establishing several settlements over there. A “Peace Now” (an organisation) recent report cites that majority of these Israeli settlements were set up between 1970 and 1980 however they have doubled in the last two decades. The Israeli government provides security and other facilities like water and power to these colonies. The report states that almost 10000 Israelis were settled in 2004 in the Chifaat Zaif colony but now at least 17000 Israeli citizens have been settled there including a worshing place and a shopping centre. The largest settlement set up by Israel in the Jordan Valley is named Modieen Eileet with a population of about 73000.
Enjoying Donald Trump’s support for establishing a greater Israel, PM Benjamin Netanyahu in April last year made a televised announcement, saying he has intention to annex the Jordan Valley in to Israel as he was re-elected in the upcoming polls. Fourthly, by forging diplomatic ties recently between Arab States [UAE, Bahrain] and Israel, Donald Trump succeeded in the farewell months of his black era. Indeed, by showing such flexibility in favour of Israel by compromising the Palestine case, many analysts believe that the time is not far when more Arab States will pursue the UAE’s and Bahrain’s lead.
—The writer is a lecturer at degree college Zhob and a columnist.
