Israel embassy relocation to discredit US in world: Commentator

Press TV has conducted an interview with Richard Forer, an author and political commentator, to get his opinion on the remarks made by Vice President Mike Pence that US President Donald Trump is “serious” about moving the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem al-Quds.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: What do you make of this possible move?

Forer: I think it is absurd; it is another example of the Trump administration having no idea what they are doing. It is a violation of international law for one thing and they have to know …, I mean I cannot imagine that they are that ignorant that they do not know that moving the embassy to Jerusalem would inflame the Arab and Muslim world.

It is a ridiculous thing and it would show such favoritism towards the Israelis that it would totally delegitimize the United States as far as any trust countries in the world could have for US foreign policy.

It is absolutely absurd and of course just the fact that David Friedman was selected by the president to be the ambassador … I mean okay, they have had Martin Indyk who was Jewish, they have had Daniel Shapiro and yes, they do favor Israel or at least, let’s say, they do not criticize Israel to the extent they should, but when you have a guy who is the head of a settlement organization, he is the head of the Beit El settlement in Israel, he is the head of the American division that contributes a lot of money to that settlement, when you pick someone like that to be your ambassador that is a real slap in the face.

After all, the United States knows that all Israeli settlements are in violation of international law. So to pick a man to be the ambassador to Israel who supports the violation of international law is as the opening, I believe, of your statement showed, de facto support for the occupation.

And by the way, I want to add that Mike Pence is an [evangelical] Christian so he is putting his allegiance to his alleged religion over his allegiance to the American people and his constitutional oath. He does not even know anything about the history of the Israel-Palestine tragedy and yet he is showing his prejudices immediately, the minute he becomes Vice President he is already exhibiting his prejudices, it is a disgrace. 

Press TV: I wonder, what is holding the Trump administration back from just moving the embassy because I imagine, and you can correct me if I am wrong, that the Arab world would not hold Trump too much disregard if he does so especially because they are aligning themselves more and more with Israeli policies anyway, aren’t they?

Forer: Yes Saudi Arabia in particular, and Bahrain and maybe they already see him as a fool but the fact is it really puts the rubber-stamp on the Israeli occupation and in my mind it is a real statement of American support for pretty much anything Israel wants to do and for American lack of support or lack of any empathy or understanding of what the Palestinians have gone through for almost 70 years, actually more than 70 years.

So it is a real disgrace and as far as the United States goes, even amongst the United States allies such as Western Europe, let’s say, it would show that the United States really is a laughing stock in the world and has really lost its moral bearings and really does not stand for the freedom and justice it always claims it stands for. This is really bad. I am not sure they will do it but it is really bad.

The thing is Trump has spoken to Mahmoud Abbas and he has gotten advice or at least information from various advisors about how the Arab world would take this and how it would violate international law and how it would make two-state solution which is already 99 percent certain not to happen, how would put the final nail in that coffin.

So we will see. I do not know if he will do it for sure but just even talking about it shows just real disrespect for international law, for the United Nations, for the Palestinians and really for the Arab world because of their standing prior to some countries cozying up with Israel.

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