Tensions once again rise along the west bank of Jerusalem, the current border between Palestine and Israel.  It’s a shame to see a break in the calmness of violence that has lasted since the last conflict between the two countries in 2014 and 2015. This sudden interruption of peace along the border came after Commander in Chief of the United States, Donald Trump, announced that the United States will be recognizing the city of Jerusalem as the new capital of Israel. They will begin the process of moving the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the upcoming years.

President Trump made this announcement on December 6th and has since caused an eruption of violence between the Palestinian Hamas and the Israeli forces leaving thousands injured and four dead so far in the recent wave of conflict.  According to the UN security council, this move was widely condemned and a real threat to the paper thin peace that is scarcely existent between the two countries. Yet, according to Donald Trump, this land belongs rightfully to the Jewish People.

In order to have a better understanding, one must look back at the The Six-Day War. This conflict between Israel and 5 other countries began after an agreement between Palestine and her Allies to attack Israel. Before this conflict Jerusalem and Palestine had shared the city of Jerusalem due to the fact that it contained sites holy to the Jewish Faith and the Muslim Faith.

After Palestine had attacked Israel, Israel struck back hard and inflicted many casualties on Palestine and its allies. After pushing the invading forces back Israel occupied Jerusalem and claimed that they deserved the land since they had defeated Palestine. Most of the World sees the eastern, Palestinian half of the city as an occupied military zone while Israel views the territory as their own. The UN has is trying to come up with a resolution against Trump’s decision which was vetoed by the United States as of December 19th.