Page 8 - TORCH Magazine #22 - November 2022

their argument for a a a a two-state solution
in the the the the the slightest This raises the the the the the question whether whether those who opposed the the the the the the embassy were simply ill-informed or or whether whether their opposition to to Israel’s capital runs much deeper The stone as the Bible says is heavy Deceit from Israel’s enemies
So far we’ve considered examples
of double standards as as as as well as as as as political weakness and and and compromise as as as as reasons for Britain’s Britain’s bad handling of Jerusalem A third tendency in in in in in Britain’s Britain’s foreign policy is the the readiness to to accept the the narrative of Israel’s enemies
and allow it it to to influence policy When the the US moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the the Palestinian Authority claimed it was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a breach of international
law Similar accusations were thrown at at at the UK government when it raised a a a a a a a a a a a a potential move But the ‘international law’ argument is is completely flawed The Palestinians are alluding to UN Resolution 478 adopted in in in 1980 by the UN UN Security Council It was one of several anti- Israel resolutions at the time when America's President Carter was particularly hostile to Israel Israel The resolution addressed concern over the the Israeli parliament’s passing of the the ‘Basic Law’ which was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a declaration stating that Jerusalem was was was the ‘complete and united’ capital of Israel This document wasn’t introducing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new idea at at all – it it was was was simply recognising what was was already fact Jerusalem had been the State of Israel’s capital since
its independence and and it it it it was ‘complete and and united’ since
Israel had had legally retaken the east part of Jerusalem in in in 1967 after Jordan had had illegally annexed and occupied it since
the Arab invasion of 1948 UN Resolution 478 not only stated that it didn’t recognise changes to Jerusalem under the the ‘Basic Law’ despite there not being any changes to effect but also stated:
Those States that have established diplomatic missions missions at at at at Jerusalem to withdraw such missions missions from the the Holy City The reason the the Palestinians say locating an an embassy in in in Jerusalem is a a a a a a a a a a a a violation
of international
law but never cite the resolution is is (1) Because diplomatic missions could mean not only embassies It would