PLO Official: “Trump’s decision regarding Jerusalem is worse than the ominous Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration), and that it constitutes a catastrophe”
Headline: “Karake: The prisoners’ freedom is part of our people’s right to self-determination, and the American position regarding Jerusalem is worse than the Balfour Promise”
“Director of [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Karake said… in his speech at the start of the Fourth European Conference for Support for the Prisoners of Palestine… that Israel, as an occupying power, is carrying out organized crimes against the prisoners and their rights, violating international law, and acting in contradiction of human justice, which places the lives and fate of the prisoners in grave danger…
He said that Trump’s decision regarding Jerusalem is worse than the ominous Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration), and that it constitutes a catastrophe (Nakba) and disaster directed against the international institutions, a just peace, and human justice.”
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump gave a speech formally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and stating that he had instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump concluded by stating that the US is still fully committed to the peace process in the Middle East. Following his speech, Trump signed the waiver to delay the transfer of the embassy, and apparently will continue to do so until preparations for the transfer have been completed.
The Balfour Declaration of Nov. 2, 1917 was a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Baron Rothschild stating that “His Majesty's government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” In 1922, the League of Nations adopted this and made the British Mandate “responsible for putting into effect the declaration,” which led to the UN vote in 1947 and the establishment of the State of Israel.
“Director of [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Karake said… in his speech at the start of the Fourth European Conference for Support for the Prisoners of Palestine… that Israel, as an occupying power, is carrying out organized crimes against the prisoners and their rights, violating international law, and acting in contradiction of human justice, which places the lives and fate of the prisoners in grave danger…
He said that Trump’s decision regarding Jerusalem is worse than the ominous Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration), and that it constitutes a catastrophe (Nakba) and disaster directed against the international institutions, a just peace, and human justice.”
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump gave a speech formally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and stating that he had instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump concluded by stating that the US is still fully committed to the peace process in the Middle East. Following his speech, Trump signed the waiver to delay the transfer of the embassy, and apparently will continue to do so until preparations for the transfer have been completed.
The Balfour Declaration of Nov. 2, 1917 was a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Baron Rothschild stating that “His Majesty's government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” In 1922, the League of Nations adopted this and made the British Mandate “responsible for putting into effect the declaration,” which led to the UN vote in 1947 and the establishment of the State of Israel.