While the holiest site, the Western Wall, along with the iconic gold-plated Dome of the Rock, and the Temple Mount are considered as Jewish sanctuaries, the Muslims consider the Western Wall or Al-Buraq Wall (in Arabic) as their third holiest-site, including the adjacent Al-Aqsa Mosque.
If we whitewash the history, before the wars between Arabs and Israelis, the United Nations had demarcated a red line in Jerusalem declaring it as a special International Zone. But in 1948, Israel declared independence and seized west Jerusalem and later captured its eastern part as well during the next Arab-Israel war in 1967.
Most of the top observers had a realistic peace solution to give western Jerusalem to Israel and eastern Jerusalem to Palestine so that the aspirations of both could be fulfilled of making Jerusalem their capital. But this solution has now gone out of the equation after President Trump's announcement of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The US embassy will now be shifted from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Undoubtedly, this step would create more clashes, protests, and could even spark off another Intifada in the troubled region.
There is great anxiety among European nations, countries of the Middle East and United Nations member states who have raised a unanimous voice against creating this ring of fire, strongly objecting to this "unilateral move" of the United States which has diminished the prospects of peace in the region.
Everyone has their own words and narratives to describe this alarming action of President Trump. Right from flagrant aggression, to legally null decision; from peace in endanger, to irresponsible step; from a death sentence for peace-keeper to faulty and uncalculated move and so on.
Long-time considered as their ancestral homeland by all communities, Jerusalem's status has lingered on under the silhoutte of a dispute between Israelis and Palestinians.
The White House has always played the prying role of a dispassionate hawk on the Jerusalem issue which encapsulates a bloody era of decades of tensions and conflict.
Trump, during his initial months as the US President, had separately hosted both the presidents of Israel and Palestine, expressing the desire to muster peace, securing the "the ultimate deal" and make efforts towards a high-profile peace initiative. However, the possibility of a peace treaty going through has proved illusionary until now, further creating more dilemma and conflicts.
Trump's decision, is his commitment to the voters who formed a key part of his voter base, making him the 45th US President. Donald Trump's announcement is like a death knell for peace, which could unfold into a deadly game of 'Truth or Dare'. While Jerusalem is the truth, to recognise it as Israel's capital is a dare.
