The member countries of the world’s top body- the United Nations- has finally rejected the US president’s lopsided decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel making it absolutely clear that 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status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council.
Following an earlier decision by the United States to recognize the Holy City as the capital of Israel, the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday voted in favour of Palestine demanding that all countries comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the status of Jerusalem. The conscious decision and principled stance on the issue taken by the respective member states on one hand boosted up the morale of subjugated people of Palestine while on the other an overwhelming majority rejecting Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital demonstrated the fact that the might is not right. It has also set a precedent that no country, whatsoever, can alter the status of any disputed territories single-handedly by ignoring the international law.
Despite threatening statements by the Trump administration the resolution was adopted by a recorded vote of 128 in favour of the resolution. Notwithstanding the US threat to cut off funding, the member countries set a unique precedent by voting in favour of the resolutions. In its bid to influence the vote, the Untied States hurled severe threats of aid cut to the countries which vote in favour of the United Nations resolution. However, the Trump administration’s move to apparently force and intimidate all voices of dissent into submission was largely seen as unjustified and against diplomatic norms that amounts to unlawful interference in a legal process. US being a sovereign state has no doubt the right to take decisions whatever it deems fit in the interests of its own country but pressurizing and coercing other nations to follow the suit is simply an infringement on individual rights of the countries having every right to voice their opinion rather than following other’s dictates.
The verdict no doubt a big set back to the Trump administration but it is high time that the US should learn to live and learn from and about these differences. Instead of undermining the credibility of the United Nations, President Trump should bear in mind the fact that threatening, bullying, intimidating and arm-twisting tactics, which have unfortunately been a dominant part of the US policy to pursue its foreign goals since long, would yield nothing but push the whole world into a quagmire of uncertainty.
These antagonist policies president Trump is so lovingly pushing through are bound to generate chaos and confusion and above all these policies go against the core democratic values, fundamental beliefs and constitutional principles of American society that has been cherishing the lofty goal of Liberty, Equality, and Justice for all around the world. The people all around the world have been craving for these ideals but there cannot be peace without justice and selective justice is no justice at all. Much needed impartiality on the part of sole superpower would perhaps serve the cause of humanity in a befitting manner. Rather than getting swayed by the wave of nationalism, xenophobia and Islamophobia the US being a world leader, should take judicious review of its policies towards Middle East to find out lasting solution of the Palestinian problem in light of the UN resolutions.
