Arab Countries up in arms against Trump over Jerusalem

Lucknow: In yet another action which is sure to snowball into a major controversy, American President Donald Trump has annoyed Arab countries by recognizing Jerusalem as capital of Israel.

While 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has already denounced it, over two dozen countries of Arab league have decided to deliberate on it on December 12 . Germany has also jumped into the milieu warning that it would further aggravate the crisis. Going a step further, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey has threatened to sever diplomatic ties with United States.

It was after the war of 1967 when Israel had annexed Jerusalem, the most revered place of Muslims, Yehudis and Christians. Since then, it had been trying to get it recognized as Israeli capital but Palestine continued to stake its claim on the city assuming when they got freedom, Jerusalem would be its capital.

Unlike two previous Prime Ministers, the present Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the entire Jerusalem was capital of Israel even as PM Office of Israel, its Supreme Court and Parliament were situated in this city only.

Also Read: Jerusalem is now officially recognised Israeli capital: White House

Notably, no country since formation of Israel in 1948 had recognized Jerusalem as its capital while United States being the first under Trump. India, in reaction to this fresh development, maintained its independent and non-aligned stand.

About Jerusalem

• Situated between Mediterranean Sea and Dead Sea
• Its history reminds of old cities like Kaba, Kashi, Mathura, Rome and Kandhar
• Yehudis and Christians reckon it as the Centre of the earth
• Yehudi , whose sacred Sulemani Temple used to be here, offer prayers with face towards Jerusalem
• This city had history of Christ as well while Hazrat Mohammad was said to have departed to heaven from here
• Jerusalem, a prominent tourist place, has 158 churches and 73 mosques
• Since inception of Islam, this city was destroyed twice and was under siege 23 times
• The oldest part of Jerusalem was inhabited by 4000 BC
• It was surrounded by walls in 1538
• The city stands divided in four parts in 19th century on the basis of religions namely- Armenian, Yehudi, Christian and Muslim
• It is known as the birth place of Christianity and Propagation of Islam was also believed to have evolved from here
• By medieval times, the Palestinian Arab population inhabited here.

Israel did not exist before second World War and this area was known as Palestine and was under British rule since 1922. Even then there was struggle between Palestinians and Yehudis.

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After second World War, some Arab organizations started rebellion against British rule and Yehudi refugees were asking for shelter in their ‘Fatherland’ Israel.

In order to appease Arabs and Yehudis, the Britishers announced to evolve a way in 1947. On November 29, 1947, the United Nations agreed to the division of Palestine into two states –Arab and Yehudi. Yehudi agreed to it but summarily rejected by Arabs giving rise to civil war forcing 2.5 lakh Palestinians to leave their state.

On May 14, 1948, the Yehudi community announced its freedom from British rule and declared Israel as an independent nation. Soon after, Syria, Libya and Iraq attacked Israel which was joined by Saudi Arab, Yemen and Egypt. After one year, the ceasefire was declared and a borderline was made between Jordan and Israel.