Iran and Israel hot topics at UN as Trump defends Jerusalem embassy move
President Donald Trump says he sought 'peace' in the Middle East but he will 'not be held hostage to old dogmas' on the issue
World leaders have clashed at the United Nations General Assembly in New York over their vision of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Iran nuclear deal, with Donald Trump defending his decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
In his first appearance since the highly unpopular move which isolated America in the world forum, Trump was unapologetic, saying the decision was “a significant step forward in the Middle East” that “acknowledged the obvious facts”.
While he said the US sought “peace” between Israelis and Palestinians, he did not mention a Palestinian state, adding: “We will not be held hostage to old dogmas, discredited ideologies and so-called experts who have been proven wrong.”
It led Jordan’s King Abdullah II to deliver a stern riposte to Trump’s expected proposal for a unilateral one-state solution to the conflict, saying: “There is no such thing as a unilateral agreement. It takes at least two parties to make an agreement.”
Describing how Jerusalem faced “threats to its multi-faith identity,” the influential sovereign said: “Only a two-state solution can meet the needs of both sides… What could possibly be the future of what some propose, a single binational state, whose very foundation is a rejection of the equality of its own people?”
Abdullah added: “That’s the ugly undemocratic reality of the one-state idea. It is by no means an alternative to a two-state peace settlement. It is an abandonment of peace, a new way to go AWOL from the work of reconciliation, and the opposite of what both sides need – and have sought – for so long.”
Likewise Egyptian President Fattah al-Sisi, an ally of Israel, also dismissed the idea of a unilateral solution, saying UN resolutions “guarantee the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital… The terms and parameters are well-known, there is no time to waste on such a debate.”
Beyond Israel, Trump linked US aid to Syrian refugees to international support for pressure on Iran, saying: “Any solution to the humanitarian crisis in Syria must also include a strategy to address the brutal regime that has fuelled and financed it.”
He accused Iranian leaders of “havoc and slaughter” in the region and of “plundering” the nation’s resources, adding that the Iran nuclear deal was a “windfall” which led to an increase in military spending of 40 percent.
As he spoke, the leaders of Russia, China, Germany, France and Britain issued their own snub, announcing the joint creation of a “special purpose vehicle” that would enable firms to trade with Iran and bypass the risk of fallout from US sanctions.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
