Mighty Rocket Man Donald Trump follows suit today North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un. Well, in a way. His recognition of Jerusalem today as Israel’s (and Israel’s alone) capital is a provocation for hundreds of millions of Muslims and utterly foolish. There is no excuse for willfully risking the fragile and unstable balance in the city which belongs in fact to three World religions.

Editors late Oleg Grabar and Benjamin Z. Kedar describe, in particular, Jerusalem’s Temple Mountain with its Sacred Esplanade “Where Heaven and Earth Meet.”

Of course, for time immemorial, Jerusalem has been the place for deep desire for most Jews. Their religion’s foundation myth has been one of “return” to the promised land with Jerusalem as the location of God’s temple. But Jerusalem is also the city where Jesus died on the cross and Muhammad ascended to the Heavens. It doesn’t belong to one monotheistic faith only but to all three versions where one and the same God only is revered.

Donald Trump lacks many things, among others brains, any sensitivity, any diplomacy, honesty. These would be utterly needed if he was seriously seeking a solution for the root cause of the many crises in the Middle East, broker any lasting deal.

No surprise, he doesn’t seek. He provokes.

6 December 2017 @ 5:52 pm.

Last modified December 6, 2017.