2334 more damaging than US announcement: Alex Rychin

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Australian Alex Rychin weighs into the contention surrounding Trump’s announcement and points out that while issues involving Jerusalem evoke passion, the position of the US administration is, in fact, benign.

Rychin compares this announcement to UNSC Resolution 2334 and points out this is far less sinister. Resolution 2334 did in fact pre-empt the outcome of negotiations and went as far as to deem any Israeli presence in East Jerusalem illegal. This included the holiest sites of Judaism, the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and the Jewish part of the Old City. The resolution has been condemned by two dozen legal experts in a recent opinion statement.

Rychin states that Trump’s announcement does not change anything on the ground but merely recognizes what states have known for many years. For 3,000 years Jerusalem has been the “beating heart of the Jewish people” and since 1948 it has been the seat of government.

The Knesset, (Israel’s national parliament) all institutions of state and the residences of the Prime Minister and President are in Jerusalem.

Rychin claims that the peace process which is built on the notion of two states for two peoples with direct negotiation, has for years been “repeatedly undermined by Palestinian unilateralism indulged by international community”

Regarding the concerns over a possible intifada Rychin said that it falls on Palestinian, regional leaders, clerics and populations themselves.

“Violence is not an involuntarily spasm. It occurs when it is incited and voluntarily carried out”. Alex Rychin

Rychin referred to the outbreaks of violence earlier this year based on false rumours that Israel was seeking to change the status quo. He asks – “do they want to choose the path of violence or choose the path of negotiations?”.

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