The Delicate Negotiations I am of course referring to are the Negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians on the latter's right to Nationhood.
What was Trump thinking ?
At least that was the position taken by all 20+ attendees at our weekly discussion group yesterday morning ...save for one ...yours truly.
I kindly pointed out to all and sundry that there were no "Delicate Negotiations" underway..in fact, there were no Negotiations period and there have not been for a long time.
In that regard, the Palestinian situation is similar to North Korea where the charade of negotiations has played out by various US Administration with 'zip all' to show for it.
The bottom-line here is that if Arab nations really wanted the Palestinians to have their own Statehood, it would have happened years and years ago. The cruel fact is that most Arab States want to see things unsettled on Israel's border with Palestine.
The other fact in the mix is that Israel is the only Democratic Nation in the Middle East and it is time that they were allowed to get on with their lives including determining the location of their capital city.
President Trump made it official yesterday that the US would henceforth recognize Jerusalem to be their capital as per their wishes.
I see Trump's action as a step in the right direction which will hasten the Palestinian march to statehood. I say that because when Palestine / and its other Arab neighbours see Israel moving on without them, they will realize that further stalling, foot-dragging will no longer be in their interests.
So back to our group. I suspect much of their criticism of Trump yesterday was due to their overall dislike for the man and not so much with respect to his declaration regarding Jerusalem. Indeed, I think this applies to much of the criticism surrounding Trump...it is knee-jerk reaction rather than thought out positions and policy.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
