Diana Buttu: In the numerous years I have spent in Jerusalem, I have seen trends and events that have unequivocally changed it for the worse — whether the construction of Israel’s 25-foot concrete wall, the destruction of thousands of Palestinian homes for spurious bureaucratic reasons, the expulsion of friends from their homes, the construction of illegal settlements that have scarred the landscape, or the erection of countless checkpoints to control Palestinian movement. Jerusalem’s approximately 300,000 Palestinians are now squeezed — indeed suffocating — under Israeli military rule. Trump’s announcement will only serve to embolden those who wish to see Jerusalem free from Palestinians.
It is imperative that the world send a strong message to Israel that it will no longer accept Israel’s illegal actions in Jerusalem, which cause such harm to Palestinians living there and efforts to make peace in the region. Instead of turning a blind eye or rewarding Israel’s illegal acts, the international community should start imposing sanctions on Israel immediately, in order to let Israeli leaders and the world know that Israel is not above the law and that Palestinians are not beneath it.
