Donald Trump announced Friday, September 4, that Serbia would move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, becoming the first European country to follow the American example.
At the same time, Kosovo, a country “Predominantly Muslim”, has agreed to establish “Diplomatic relations” with the Hebrew state, added the US president. ” Well done ! Other Islamic and Arab countries will follow “, he said on Twitter, greeting “Another great day for peace in the Middle East”.
Another great day for peace with Middle East – Muslim-majority Kosovo and Israel have agreed to normalize ties and… https://t.co/cm0JuEHhV2
The summit of the day at the White House was however officially devoted to the “Economic standardization” between Serbia and Kosovo, at the heart of a complex territorial and political conflict. But Donald Trump’s envoy for this issue, Richard Grenell, warned that “Surprises” were to be expected.
So it was about Israel, a priority for a large section of the American Christian right.
“Serbia has pledged to open a trade office in Jerusalem this month, and move its embassy to Jerusalem by July”, leaving Tel Aviv where the diplomatic missions of the vast majority of countries are located, the President of the United States said in a statement.
Netanyahu’s thanks
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu immediately welcomed the announcement, noting that it would be the “First country” European Union to follow the example of the United States. He thanked the Serbian President “For the decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel”.
Serbia is following in the footsteps of the United States, which moved its embassy to the Holy City in May 2018, shattering international consensus and angering Palestinians, who have since denied in Washington any role of mediator in their own conflict with the Israelis. Guatemala had already followed the American example.
The status of Jerusalem is indeed one of the thorniest questions for a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United Nations (UN) considers that this question must be the subject of an agreement between Israelis and Palestinians, and that in the meantime the capitals must not establish their diplomatic representation in Israel in Jerusalem.
The Hebrew state seized East Jerusalem in 1967, annexed it, and considers the entire city its capital “Eternal” and “Indivisible”. The Palestinians want to make East Jerusalem the capital of the state they aspire to.
Benyamin Netanyahu also assured that Kosovo, which had no diplomatic relations with the Jewish state since its proclamation of independence in 2008, would be “The first Muslim-majority country to open an embassy in Jerusalem”. He thanked Donald Trump for his “Contribution” to these diplomatic successes for Israel.
Palestine “victim of Trump’s electoral ambitions”
“Palestine has become the victim of Trump’s electoral ambitions”, protested on Twitter Saëb Erakat, Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). According to him, the team of the ex-businessman is ready to “Everything to ensure his re-election, no matter if it destroys the peace”.
This news comes less than a month after the announcement of an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, also favored by the intervention of the United States. With the approach of the November 3 ballot, when he runs for a second term, the Republican billionaire does not hide that he wants to satisfy the evangelical electorate.
His entourage tries with these agreements to present a diplomatic record to his advantage, after a series of failures in foreign policy on North Korea, Iran, Venezuela or even the Israeli-Palestinian peace.
“This is the second time in less than a month that Israel has made peace and normalized its ties with a predominantly Muslim country”, noted his national security adviser Robert O’Brien, describing Donald Trump as “A true peacemaker”.
