As the Israeli regime prepares a series of festivities to celebrate the opening of the new US Embassy in occupied Jerusalem, the move has ignited protests among Palestinians and their supporters across the world. Gulf News spoke to a few residents, who expressed their outrage at the move.
Ahmad Al Majayda, 30, works in public relations
“The relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem will definitely cause more chaos in the peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis, especially in Gaza. This has the potential to further escalate the violence. We all saw the international response to the decision months back, yet President Trump chose to ignore [the views of] all allies and pushed forward with his decision. Trump has no right to declare occupied Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which was and will always be Palestinian. Arab and other countries that voted against the decision should move their [Palestine] embassies to occupied Jerusalem, declaring it the capital of Palestine in response.”
Kamel Abu Saqr, 40, lawyer
“[Occupied] Jerusalem is a part of Palestine and a part of the Arab world… and the decision by President Trump to move the US embassy to [occupied] Jerusalem challenges the feelings of 1.5 billion Muslims. The decision by the US to recognise [occupied] Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will not change the legal status of the holy city for all Arabs and Muslims. This is an arrogant move on the part of the US, which goes against the Geneva Conventions and the resolutions of the United Nations, which have also have been voted on by the US itself.”
Fadila Al Maeeni, 45, Emirati journalist and deputy chairman of the Journalists Association
The decision to recognise occupied Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy to the city will not change the legal status of the holy city for all Arabs and Muslims. The move, which contravenes the resolutions of international legitimacy, will inflame tensions in the region, but it will not change the legal status of the city as being one under occupation. The US decision is in complete defiance of historical and permanent rights of the Palestinian people in occupied Jerusalem, which were guaranteed by the relevant UN resolutions, supported by the international community.
Adel Al Rashid, 60, Editor of Abu Dhabi Office of the Arabic daily Al Bayan
The US move consecrates the Israeli occupation and gives it legitimacy. It shows full bias against the historic and permanent rights of the Palestinian people in occupied Jerusalem, guaranteed by the relevant international resolutions and recognised by the international community. The unilateral move is invalid, contrary to all the international resolutions on the city and undermines the peace process with Palestinians.
Ali Abu Al Reesh, 60, Emirati journalist and playwright
We were shocked as was the world by the relocation of the American embassy to occupied Jerusalem, considering that America is a key partner in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli dispute. In addition, America has historic political relations with the Arabs, and the relocation of its embassy to occupied Jerusalem damages US credibility as a peace broker and will make the Israeli intransigence the only weapon.
The establishment of the occupation regime and the ... continuation of the occupation, is not in America’s interest as a superpower and its endeavours to establish world peace and liberate the world from chauvinism and racism.
Israa Khater, 27, works with an NGO
“It’s very disheartening and frustrating for us to see the US moving its embassy to occupied Jerusalem; it makes you realise how much you’re losing and feels like the world is closing in on you. It feels like the home that was taken from us has been taken once more. This is a natural trajectory of US foreign policy for the last 70 years, with the US consistently giving Israel more and more support. The American bias as a mediator has always been obvious to the Palestinians. The US move is just a symptom of a wider problem we are facing, which is to come up with good solutions and policies to end the conflict.”
