President Donald Trump’s decision to go ahead with a campaign promise to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and eventually to move the US embassy there, is an act of diplomatic vandalism. It is the more curious for the likelihood that no one will benefit from it, or at least no one interested in peace — not even Mr Trump himself.
He has united almost everyone against him, including his closest allies in the region, provoked outrage among Muslims, provided fuel for extremists and, not for the first time, diminished America in the eyes of the world. Nor has he served Israel’s interests well — though some Israelis might disagree.
Jerusalem has been at the centre of peacemaking efforts in the Middle East ever since partition in 1947 when sensitivities surrounding the city’s status (and its importance as a holy site for Jews, Muslims and Christians alike) led the UN to treat it initially as a separate entity from the Jewish state. Although Israel has always claimed the Holy city as its capital, no country has, until now, recognised it as such.