to despair of Trump's actions over Jerusalem.

[CommonSenseFailed]

He has blatantly carried out something that was unnecessary but will de-stabilise the Middle East.

What was there to gain from this except more misery for the Palestinians.

Sugarcoma, before telling others that they know nothing, how about you read and learn that Israel doesn't want a 2 state solution , it wants all the Palestinian land. It just cannot get enough.

@PeacefulPeace I see oh so knowledgable one - is that why Israel not only unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but forcibly removed every Jew/Israeli living there so that it could be ruled autonomously by Palestinians?

You don’t even know what I’m talking about do you?

YES @Sugarcoma

Its fantastic news for extreme, Islamic fundamentalists. They will claim it as evidence that the west despises all Muslims, and that violence against ordinary Israeli civilians is justified.
Not so great for more moderate Palestinian voices, or for anyone in that region who wants any chance of peace within their lifetime.

Just as the inevitable images that will follow of angry crowds burning American flags will be great for right wing Americans and right wing Israeli extremists.

@Sugarcoma, you might want to add that Palestinian 'autonomy'in Gaza does not extend to determining who or what comes in and goes out - including vital goods such as medical supplies.

Or that the Gaza Strip is one the most densely populated pieces of land on the planet but has precious few resources and was always a hot spot of armed confrontation between the parties. And that hence Israel's decision to withdraw had a lot less to do with charity or a belief in Palestinian self-determination and a lot more with the amount resources needed to keep a few settlers in place simply not being worth it.

I think you're being disingenuous. I think you're very aware of both these facts.

Hi @BossyBitch glad you’ve joined the party.

Are you aware how many countries border Gaza? It’s not just Israel, is it? So why are you not leveling the same accusations of border control at Egypt as you do at Israel?

Oh wait, you did know Egypt also borders Gaza, and also controls who crosses into and out of Gaza and could also send in tons of aid and medical supplies and food should it want to, right? Cause it kinda sounds like you didn’t!

As for Gaza being scant of resources, it has malls (www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/as-the-israeli-blockade-eases-gaza-goes-shopping-2035432.html) and even AirBnB rentals? Not exactly Tattooine.

And while yes it’s densely populated, it’s not even in the top 10, top 20 or top 30 of the most densely populated areas in the world: it’s the 40th. So not really sure what population density has to do with anything...

You mean theocracy. Israel is an abomination of a state based on religious discrimination and ethnic cleansing. As for trump-well to be very honest I keep waiting for him to reveal that his whole presidency has been a joke and he actually has some convelutedly clever plan-but obviously not. I just give up.

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel though. It's been in their prayers for thousands of years, long before Islam. Not that I support the crazies who want to blow up the Temple Mount etc. Considering many of the US business elite played an instrumental role in wiping so many people out in WW2 and smuggling many of the perpetrators out of Europe (eg Operation Paperclip) , I don't think they are in any position to dictate terms of peace - they've totally isolated themselves from their own populace too.

I did wonder if Palestinians could organise a international boycott of American brand products, rather than decide to throw stones in the streets. Just an idea!!

@sugarcoma. . Glad you said this as it all needed putting down. It isn't always worth putting your head above the parapet as some of the anti-Israel lobby can be, err, quite passionate.

The border between Gaza and Egypt is strictly controlled by the Israelian army. All goods must be controlled and approved by them.

He's inviting an escalation of the terrorist threat to the United States.

I agree. But likewise should we not despair at the US electorate as a whole? They voted for Trump for policies like this. This very thing is a nod to the some of the ambitions of the Right. I met a Jewish American who voted for Trump (friend of a friend) a few months ago and she is no doubt she is delighted at this. Is Trump not to a certain extent actioning what the voters voted him in to do? Is that not democracy? So can we give the US electorate a free ride or do we need to look more closer at the problems in America as a whole?

Qwebec - how does the Israeli(an?) army control the Egyptian border? And Grinchface, when you say abomination, you know that Israel ranks far above anywhere in the ME for diversity, gay rights, women's rights, life expectancy, workers rights, etc etc. And in the happiness rankings Israelis Arabs do pretty well, certainly better than those who live in surrounding countries.

samG76, it's called the Philadelphia Route.

I read (can’t remember where) that at one stage Australia was put forward as a possible location to establish a Jewish state. If that’s true then bearing in mind the conflict that has existed by establishing a Jewish state bordered on all sides by hostile nations, it might have been a good idea. I’m Jewish but do not support Palestinian occupation, jewish settlements on land that is not Israel’s or the bringing up of both Jewish and Muslim children to hate one another.

Holyknight - you're Jewish - that's nice to know. Happy 19th Kislev! I don't think sending Jews to Australia was ever suggested, mainly because it would have been an asinine idea. As for neighbouring states, relations with Egypt and Jordan are pretty good, also Saudi. Syria is bit problematic, of course, as the one thing the warring factions have in common is a desire to get rid of Israel.

"An Israeli spokesperson just said on the news that meant that illegal settlements would no long be legal."

What does that even mean?

should we not despair at the US electorate as a whole?

46% didn't vote at all.
27% voted for Clinton, 26% voted for Chump. About 1% voted for someone else.
26% is not the whole.

Sadly, Clinton seems to be the one candidate who couldn't beat Drumpf.

I believe Tasmania was proposed as a possible Jewish State as was Uganda samG76. Both proposals were rejected.