‘Trump’s recognition of al-Quds as Israel’s capital will have boomerang effect’

An American writer and retired professor says President Donald Trump’s decision of the United States recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital will have a boomerang effect, that will weaken the US and leave it isolated.

In a speech at the White House on Wednesday, Trump officially declared Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital, saying his administration would also begin a process of moving the American embassy in Tel Aviv to the holy city, which is expected to take years.

James Petras, who has written dozens of books on international issues, told Press TV that “Trump is trying to appeal to Netanyahu and following the orders of the Israeli lobby in the United States that has been so powerful and an influence in the Middle East.”

“They have been pursuing the problem of breaking relations with Iran and ending the nuclear agreement. This is a culmination of this policy by Israel and its influence over the United States,” he said.

“Trump’s son-in-law is a very Zionist. Jared Kushner is his top advisor on the Middle East. And he has been an avid supporter of Netanyahu. And, this is part of his policies and influence over Trump,” he stated.

“Trump is trying to pay back the Zionists who contributed millions of dollars to his electoral campaign, and this is his payoff for his receiving that kind of financial backing,” he noted.

“The problem is that the rest of the world disagrees with the Zionists in the United States and Trump, and the repercussions are very clear that the US has no longer a dominant influence over Europe. It has even alienated its allies like Saudi Arabia, which’s been an ally of Israel on other questions particularly in animosity to Iran,” the analyst stated.

“He has provoked a major protest, and increasing militancy throughout the Middle East even in places like in Jordan, and other places. There’s been public display of animosity, hostility and militancy,” he said.

“Despite the fact that Abbas, the PLO chairman, has been an active ally of the US is now forced to go into opposition.  It spells the end of the farce of peace negotiations.  And it sets in motion the alliance of the Islamic people against the United States and continuing to build up support for Iran, and the coalition that goes from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Hezbollah, and across the map,” the academic observed.

“So I think Trump’s policy will have a boomerang effect, that instead of strengthening the US, it will weaken the US and leave it isolated as a lone backer of Israel,” he said.

“And the move in Jerusalem [al-Quds] will certainly create a long-term opposition, despite the fact that in the past these Arab countries have been very servile to the United States. They will be forced by the mass of people to go into opposition, including Turkey, which has been an ally of the US but now is threatening to break relations with Israel and move into a closer alliance with Iran,” Professor Petras concluded.