India Routes For Non-Alignment Policy On US’s Jerusalem Recognition
Reacting to US move on declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, India has taken a non-alignment stand on the issue saying its position on Palestine is independent, consistent and not determined by any third country.
"India's position on Palestine is independent and consistent. It is shaped by our views and interests, and not determined by any third country," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday finally made the declaration of recognising Jerusalem as the capital to Israel and shifting the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, that had been on the top agenda of his pre-election campaign.
“Presidents representing the United States have declined to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. In fact, we have declined to acknowledge any Israeli capital at all. But today, we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. This is nothing more, or less, than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.”
Trump added that despite shifting the embassy, US was not taking a final call on the status of the holy city, including the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem, or the resolution of contested borders.
“Those questions are up to the parties involved,”
However, Trump still maintains that this decision does not impact US intention maintaining world peace.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted, “This is a historic day. Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel for nearly 70 years. Jerusalem has been the focus of our hopes, our dreams, our prayers for three millennia. Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years. Thank You @realdonaldtrump."
As per some international media reports from CNN and Al- Jazeera, protests have been carried out in Jerusalem. “US decision on recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is a war declaration against Palestinians. The US decision is an aggression, a declaration of war on us, on the best Muslim and Christian shrines in the heart of Palestine, Jerusalem.” Hamas leader Ismail Haniya has said that in a speech in Gaza city today and has called for a new intifada (uprising).
