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Fallout from Trump’s Jerusalem Declaration |
| By
Stephen Lendman |
| Since announced on December 6, Israeli forces lethally shot over two dozen
Palestinians, injured many others, and imprisoned hundreds for legitimately
resisting apartheid ruthlessness. Trump declaring Jerusalem Israel’s exclusive capital green-lighted its regime to escalate occupation harshness with impunity. Longstanding Israeli plans call for Judaizing all parts of Judea and Samaria it wants for exclusive Jewish development and use - notably Jerusalem in its entirety. Changing the character of East Jerusalem is part of the scheme. A controversial 2015 reconstruction and development plan for East Jerusalem’s Jewish quarter called Beit Haliba involves building a Talmudic center on 2,825 square meters of land. It’ll include educational facilities, an auditorium, VIP lounge and festive hall, a library, a museum, and a rooftop balcony - the project being around 100 meters from the Western Wall and al-Aqsa Mosque. An underground 1,320 square-meter area will exhibit archeological remnants found from years of excavations in the area, Israel claiming they belong to the first and second Temple periods. The project is an affront to historic Palestine, to the rights of all Palestinians, a scheme to change East Jerusalem’s character, a flagrant Fourth Geneva violation, regarding the protection of civilians in times of war. It violates numerous Security Council resolutions, including SC Res. 2334, adopted by a 14 0 vote in December 2016, Washington abstaining. It said settlements have “no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation under international law.” It demanded “Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.” It recognized no territorial changes “to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.” It “(c)alled upon all States, to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.” It “(c)alled for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction, calls for accountability in this regard…” Israel ignores all SC resolutions and other international laws opposing its lawless agenda. Under international law, it illegally annexed Jerusalem, Trump’s declaration having no legal validity. Building an elaborate Talmudic center in the heart of Palestinian East Jerusalem constitutes a serious affront to its right to the city - as the capital of a future Palestinian state. With full US support and encouragement, Israel continues Judaizing Jerusalem, stealing the international city for Jews alone - flagrantly violating international law with impunity. Historic Palestine is illegally occupied territory. Israel will continue its ruthless agenda without forceful world community intervention to stop it. VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html |