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(stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Jerusalem is an international city under a UN protectorate (a corpus separatum), not the legal capital of Israel or any other country.
No nation recognizing Israel has its embassy there. Trump’s lawless declaration puts America at odds with the world community, igniting a firestorm, along with making Israeli/Palestinian peace more unattainable than already.
On June 30, 1980, Security Council members unanimously passed Resolution 476 (America abstaining), declaring “all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, which purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant (Fourth Geneva) violation.”
Israel claiming the city, “complete and united, as (its) capital” has no legal standing. East Jerusalem is illegally occupied territory.
So is historic Palestine, lawlessly seized by Israel during its 1948 war of aggression, massacring and displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, replacing their cities, towns and villages with Israeli ones – exacerbating their long nightmare, begun following the 1917 Balfour Declaration.
According to a one-page Security Council resolution drafted by Egypt, seen by Reuters, “any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void, and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council.”
It also “calls upon all States to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the Holy City of Jerusalem, pursuant to resolution 478 (1980) of the Security Council.”
It “demands that all states comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the Holy City of Jerusalem, and not to recognize any actions or measures contrary to those resolutions.”
In December 2016, Security Council 2334 was adopted by a 14 – 0 vote, Washington abstaining.
It said settlements have “no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation under international law.”
It demanded “Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.”
It recognized no territorial changes “to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.”
It “(c)alled upon all States, to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.”
It “(c)alled for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction, calls for accountability in this regard…”
Israel ignores all SC resolutions and other international laws opposing its lawless agenda.
Security Council resolutions need nine votes for passage, and no vetoes from any of its five permanent members.
The resolution will likely be supported by 14 of the 15 Security Council members. If brought to a vote, possibly on Monday, a certain US veto will kill it.
The resolution doesn’t mention Washington or Trump. Turkish President Erdogan said if Security Council adoption fails, he’ll seek a non-binding General Assembly vote for annulment – certain to pass overwhelmingly.
Israel illegally considers Jerusalem its exclusive capital. Under international law, it was illegally annexed.
The SC will hold a regular meeting on the middle east peace process Monday. It’s unclear if a vote on Egypt’s resolution will take place.
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