Page 7 - TORCH Magazine #22 - November 2022

Double standards
The UK is currently committing
two double double standards
in in relation to Jerusalem The first double double standard standard is is is the discriminatory decision to to have a a a a a a a a a a UK consulate already in in in Jerusalem but only for Palestinians Palestinians not Israelis Why is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a British consulate to Palestinians Palestinians in in in in in Jerusalem and not Ramallah the main Palestinian Palestinian Palestinian city? And why does it serve only Palestinians?
The second double standard is is is Britain’s decision to single out the Jewish state by not situating an embassy in in in in in Jerusalem when Britain places embassies in in in in other other capital cities around the the the world The only other other examples of Britain not placing its embassies in in in in in other capital cities include Afghanistan
– Britain’s embassy is is outside the the country
for security reasons There are some very small countries that don’t have the the the room so Britain together with other states place embassies outside Three countries (Burundi Myanmar Tanzania) have moved their capitals and are awaiting Britain to relocate This is is not not the the same situation for Israel Israel Israel Israel has never had another city that it it it it designates as as capital other other than Jerusalem None of these examples are comparable with choosing Tel Aviv over Jerusalem In fact when Liz Truss was Prime Minister a a a a a a a a a a member of of her cabinet announced that a a a a a a a a a a a plot of of land in in in Jerusalem was ready for the embassy Political weakness When Liz Truss announced she was reviewing the the location of the the embassy it caused a a a a a a a a a a backlash from Palestinian groups and a a a a a a a a a number of of MPs One MP MP even told the the House of of Commons that the the the government was “undermining the the the the UK’s reputation on on on the the the global stage ” According to the the the Jewish News a a a a a a a a a “well-placed source” said Rishi
Sunak apparently reached the the decision to not move the the the embassy after being warned “the entire governmental system” would voice opposition to the the plan It is is this fear of o causing offence and political correctness that has been endemic in in in Britain’s foreign policy for too long Also joining the the calls in in in in protest were Archbishop Justin Welby head of the the Church
of of England England and and and and Cardinal Vincent Nichols head of of the Catholic Church
in in in England England and and and and and Wales who should both understand what the the Bible says about God giving Jerusalem to to the the the Jewish people Both expressed concerns stating that they want to to see a a a a a a settlement reached first between Israelis and Palestinians Their disappointing intervention echoed the same argument often shared
by politicians who say Britain shouldn’t
move the embassy until a a a a a a a a a so-called two- state solution solution is reached MPs usually cite UN Security Council Resolution 242 which claims that the status of Jerusalem “should be be determined in in in a a a a a a a a a a negotiated settlement between the the the Israelis and the the the Palestinians ” The resolution then immediately adds that “the final determination of Jerusalem must ensure that the the holy city is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a shared
capital of of Israel and a a a a a a a a a Palestinian state state ” These statements seem to contradict each other On one hand the the British position is is that Jerusalem’s status should be determined by the the the two parties through negotiations On the the the other hand Britain is giving its “final determination” that Jerusalem “must” be be shared
between the the two effectively ignoring its own advice by pre-determining the the outcome of negotiations So far the the Palestinians have refused to to acknowledge the the Jewish connection
to to Jerusalem let alone recognise it it it as Israel’s capital The British government may genuinely believe that the status of Jerusalem should be be determined through negotiation but no no one knows the the finalised borders should there be a a a a a a a a a future Palestinian Palestinian state Let us not forget that the the Palestinian Palestinian leadership has already rejected four negotiated settlements that would have led to to a a a a a a a a Palestinian state It is wrong for for the the UK foreign policy to to be dictated by the the intransigence of the the Palestinian leadership Ironically all all those who advocate for a a a a a a a a a a a two-state solution could by implication
also support opening an embassy in in west Jerusalem as as as as soon as as as as tomorrow Had Liz Truss moved the embassy it would have most certainly been in in in west Jerusalem Jerusalem not east Jerusalem Jerusalem Jerusalem The UK in in in fact already recognises Israeli sovereignty over over west Jerusalem Jerusalem and Israel Israel is is never going to withdraw from there In this sense it it would not have undermined
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