by Stephen Lendman
Count the ways – his rage for endless wars of aggression, his contempt for ecosanity, his disdain for ordinary Americans he vowed to serve equitably – his willingness to use nuclear weapons for the first time since 1945, today’s weapons infinitely more powerful than Fat Man and Little Boy.
In Davos at the World Economic Forum, ahead of meeting with Netanyahu, he bragged about disgracefully taking Jerusalem “off the table,” his action a flagrant violation of international law.
He’s geopolitically arrogant, his remarks in Davos contemptuous and stupid, saying “(t)here were never any deals that came close because you could never get past Jerusalem.”
“I didn’t set…back peace talks because by taking (Jerusalem) off the table, that was the toughest issue.”
He’s right about not setting back peace talks. Nothing equitable ever existed. He made things worse by plunging a dagger into the heart of the process, destroying it as long as he’s in office.
Equitable conflict resolution is unattainable without agreement on East Jerusalem as Palestine’s exclusive capital. There’s no compromise on this issue, not now or ever.
Trump insulted Palestinians, saying “(t)hey disrespected us a week ago by not allowing (Pence) to see them, and we give them hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and support, tremendous numbers, numbers that nobody understands.”
“That money is on the table. That money is not going to them unless they sit down and negotiate peace,” adding:
“We have a great proposal for the Palestinians, it covers a lot of the things we discussed over the years.”
Fact: Pence is a neocon evangelical lunatic, an Islamophobe, justifiably persona non grata in Palestine.
Fact: Trump’s unconscionable Jerusalem decision made him unwelcome as long as he maintains his position.
Fact: Money Washington gives Palestinians is for acting as Israel’s enforcer, subjugating its people, denying them fundamental rights.
Fact: The sham peace process is the greatest hoax in modern times because Washington and Israel want conflict and chaos, not resolution and stability.
Fact: Trump’s so-called peace plan calls for unconditional Palestinian surrender to US/Israeli demands, continued occupation harshness, subjugation under Israel’s repressive boot, self-determination in name only, and endless suffering for a long-beleaguered people.
His earlier position on Jerusalem called for Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to resolve it between themselves, saying:
“We are not taking a position on any final status issues, including the specific boundaries of the Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem, or the resolution of contested borders. Those questions are up to the parties involved.”
No longer. Trump is like all other dirty politicians, using the power of their office for ill, not good, saying one thing and doing another, serving privileged interests exclusively, ignoring the rights and welfare of ordinary people.
Palestinians have waited over 100 years for recognition of their fundamental rights, including international acknowledgment of their historic homeland.
Maybe it’ll take another 100 or more years to achieve liberation – free at last from US and Israeli subjugation.
A Final Comment
In response to Trump’s contemptuous remarks, a Palestinian statement said the following:
“Jerusalem is not off the negotiations table, rather the US is outside the international consensus. Those who say that Jerusalem is off the table are saying that peace is off the table.”
“The holy city is in the hearts of each and every Palestinian, Arab, Christian and Muslim, and there will be no peace without East Jerusalem being the sovereign capital of the State of Palestine.”
“Trump could buy many things with his money, but he won’t be able to buy the dignity of our nation.”
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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”