Trump’s Jerusalem Moves Spark a Fire in the Middle East

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As reports mount that the Trump administration will officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, USCPR Executive Director Yousef Munayyer spoke to The Washington Post about the possible motivations behind the move.

“A decision such as this is both morally wrong and politically dangerous,” Yousef Munayyer, executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, told Today’s WorldView. “Not only is Donald Trump deliberately insulting the Palestinian people, but also Arabs and Muslims around the world. In doing so, he is relinquishing what little credibility the United States had left in a region that is already rife with conflict and division.”

But Trump’s decision has reportedly taken Arab leaders largely by surprise, raising questions about the White House’s ultimate strategy and intentions. It also calls into question the future of the administration’s effort to restart the peace process. “The United States has attempted to shepherd the so-called ‘peace process’ on the basis that it can play the role of mediator. But by clearly adopting an Israeli position as its own, it makes clear it is not even pretending anymore,” Munayyer said.

Read the article.