Trump Sparks a Dangerous Controversy

Caution hasn’t been a characteristic of the White House since Donald Trump took over the presidency. Too often there are signs ofles of impertinence, abuse and examples controversial decisions that make the current president one of the biggest worries for the international community, which expects serenity and maturity from the world’s leading power.

Last Tuesday, Trump once again shook the world by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel – a measure that has been celebrated by his closest admirers and by Israel – because the rest of the world protested the decision, one which has shattered peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, and at the same time discreditsTrump as a legitimate mediator in this tricky process.

Leaders of European powers like Angela Merkel of Germany and Emmanuel Macron of France, the European Community, the United Kingdom and countries throughout the Arab world that are allied with the United States have also expressed displeasure with the announcement, and some have declared that they do not support this decision or have urged the president to reconsider his position.*

It would be tragic for the decision of a U.S. president to disrupt the peace negotiations, but it could also usher in a new era of violence in a zone characterized by instability and constant crossfire, as happened yesterday on the border.

Two notorious and unfortunate characteristics once again emerge from President Trump’s decision, one of which New York Times columnist Tom Friedman described appropriately and defined like this: “He doesn’t seem like the President of the United States, but the President of his base.”**

Possibly the most serious thing for the rest of the world is the fact that Trump is not fully aware of the power he holds, power which should not be used to undermine relationships between allied countries on which he should rely in making significant decisions, especially when there are clear differences, action which, in the background, also should be seen as a lack of respect among so-called harmonious relationships.

The non-Arab government that has most harshly criticized the U.S. decision is Turkey, whose president, Recep Erdogan, said that Trump “has thrown a spiral of fire into the region,” and, after a phone call with Pope Francis, showed disagreement with the White House’s statements.*** Erdogan later insisted that the leaders do not plan to shake things up but rather reconcile.

“Unfortunate,” “a decision that doesn’t help,” “an undoing of the United Nations resolutions,” “serious consequences,” “an unjustified decision,” and “against all unilateral measures” are some of the expressions arising in response to Trump’s controversial decision, who seems to ignore the role of the United States in world peace especially when his government is involved in negotiations between two states that once again find a new reason for confrontation.

*Editor’s note: The European Community in this context may refer to the European Economic Community, one of three European Communities that existed from 1958 until 2009, and were then incorporated into the present-day European Union.

**Editor’s note: This quotation, accurately translated, could not be verified.

***Editor’s note: Erdogan’s full statement was: “Taking such a step throws particularly this region into a ring of fire.”