by Luke Lee '21
Last month, President Trump explicitly displayed his hatred towards the Muslim community when he retweeted three inflammatory videos containing anti-Muslim content. The videos first posted by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of Britain First, a far-right, ultra-nationalist group. As there have been tragic losses from terrorism in Great Britain, the organization made an irresponsible decision to upload videos of deported Muslims assaulting people and even smashing a statue of the Virgin Mary.
Not surprisingly, sharing these highly offensive and derogatory videos caused fury in Britain, America’s greatest ally. A spokesperson for Theresa May, the prime minister of United Kingdom, made clear that it was “wrong” for Trump to share those videos. To the world, this thoughtless action brought confusion and irritation, especially to those of the Muslim population.
Receiving heavy criticism from America’s biggest ally, it might have been hoped that the President had learned his lesson and would recognize the heavy responsibility that follows every single action he takes as the President of the United States. Yet, once more, he stunned the world and elevated the tensions between the Muslims and America through the official recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the following decision to build a new embassy in the city, a bold move in U.S. foreign policies.
Furious about his proclamation, some Palestinians began rioting in the streets. In accordance with ongoing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Jerusalem should be shared by both Israel and Palestine. Therefore, both states have the right to claim part of the city as their own land. Not only did Trump’s announcement anger the Palestinians, but this decision annoyed its Arab allies, such as Saudi Arabia, since they opposed this idea before he took action.
The recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is a terrible mistake since it brings more harm than good. A prominent Palestinian exiled politician, Mohammed Dahlan, called the decision a 'historic mistake' on Twitter, claiming that it undermines 'the principle of inviolability of the status of Jerusalem.' The president has escalated the conflicts in the Middle East, lessening the chance of peace and increasing the likelihood of terrorism. It also presents a negative image of the U.S. to Arab countries, contradicting America’s past claim to be a fair mediator between Israel and Palestine.