US Vice President Mike Pence has not confirmed that the US Embassy in Israel will move to Jerusalem at the end of 2019. But his statements are no less dangerous than Trump’s decision about Jerusalem. Pence’s statements are an official confirmation of Trump’s move. Many Arab analysts said that Trump’s decision over Jerusalem was an implementation of his promises during campaign. Pence’s statements reflect Trump’s view on Arab and Islamic reactions to his decision over Jerusalem. It is clear that the US administration does not care about Arab and Islamic anger or about conferences and statements.
Pence’s tour in the Middle East shifted to start from Egypt instead of Israel. The US Vice President took into consideration the Arab and Islamic reactions and decided to change the program of his visit. Pence provided a fixed date to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. The Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was sure to say that the transfer of the embassy will be in 2019. The White House said earlier that the implementation of the resolution is still subject to study.
Arab analysts say that Pence has returned from his tour without achieving any results. Reality indicates that he was sure about the US move concerning Jerusalem. During his tour, Pence was not subject to any pressure. The US administration will not reconsider its position. Developments during the visit proved that the rage against Trump’s move has calmed. Washington succeeded in absorbing the rage of Arab and Islamic States and is clearly going on with its decision.
The United States is still a mediator in the peace process. Official statements of some Arab actors falsely talked about the US harming its mediation role. Others went to ask the intervention of other international mediators.
Netanyahu recently announced that the US is the only mediator in the peace process. He said that refusing Washington as a mediator affects the peace process. Israel set the US mediation as a must in the peace process.
In his recent remarks, the Jordanian monarch stressed that there can be no peace process or peaceful resolution without a US mediation. It is necessary to rebuild trust between the Palestinians and the US, he said. This will provide a cover for the Palestinians. The Palestinian government should positively assess Trump’s move.
The statements made by the Jordanian monarch in Davos contradict the official Palestinian position. The Palestinian government went on to stop contacts with the current US administration as an unfair mediator in the peace process. Washington has always stood up to the Israeli side. Certainly, nothing has changed on the ground except the “style” or “tactic”, a shocking tactic in various US foreign policies. The Trump administration has unveiled the American intentions.
Pence’s statements are not new concerning the Palestinian cause. He said in a public conference that the world must know that the US stands with Israel. He addressed voters who supported Trump in the presidential election. Pence is a White House hawk seeking to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. He put heavy pressure on Trump not to postpone this decision, according to US media reports. The US Vice President is a reliable friend of Israel, according to multiple Israeli sources. His remarks during his meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem reflect his positions and convictions. Pence said that it was a great honour to be in Israel’s capital, Jerusalem. This is a new phase to achieve peace and resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, he added.
Arabs and Muslims are now facing a new challenge of setting the date of officially moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. Trump has been talking about giving Israelis and Palestinians a chance to establish peace. Obviously, Trump’s decision over Jerusalem has nothing to do with the peace process. Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem is only a matter of time.
Some people still believe that Pence statements aim at blackmailing the Palestinian side. The US has its own way of addressing foreign policies. On the other side, Arabs should have alternatives, solutions and cards to play in the international political scene. The Arab policies must rationally analyze developments to avoid misleading positions and policies.
Emotionally based policies were the cause of many losses to Arabs. A politician must differ from a layman who emotionally analyzes developments to take positions and make decisions.
