Tensions are high across the globe following President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday. In the past, the U.S has avoided declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel due to the absence of a peace deal between Israel and Palestine. Trump’s declaration has been widely condemned on the international scale. Additionally, Trump announced that the U.S embassy will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move which is seen as largely reversing decades of U.S. policy. In the past, the international community has held the position that Jerusalem’s status should be determined by peace talks. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said that, “President Trump just destroyed any policy of a two-state solution,”adding that the US effectively abdicated its role and position as a mediator in the region.
Protests not only swept the West Bank and Gaza, but the rest of the world as well. In the U.S, protests have been held and/or are planned in many major cities like Detroit and Chicago.
Jerusalem has an incredibly deep history, and a vast majority of Palestinians live in East Jerusalem, making this declaration all the more controversial. The New York Times is looking for submissions from readers who have a connection to Jerusalem. You can find “What Does Jerusalem, or Al-Quds, Mean to You?” here.