The "Great War" was characterised by entrenchment.
Isreal is characterised by " petty".
Should we call this conflict the "Petty" war?

The embassy?

Stick it in Donald's underpants along with democracy, Trump towers, half a dozen golf courses, a jumbo jet, several choppers and fair and reasonable treatment of used by the dozen, business partners!

If anything like a halfway decent case for relocating the embassy can be made, the best brains on the planet have yet to make it!

Buddha say, enlightenment begins with brick to head.
Alan B.

The moving of all embassies, not just the American, to Western Jerusalem, is long overdue. There is no harm in this so long as in all publications, the embassy's street and postal address is clearly indicated to be in "Western Jerusalem".

Western Jerusalem is the capital of Israel while Eastern Jerusalem is the capital of those who call themselves "Palestinians". Western and Eastern Jerusalem should again be clearly separated by a high wall over the 1967 border. Israelis should not have access to the "Wailing Wall" because there is something about that wall which drives them insane and violent.

The only way the problems around Israel and the Palestinians will be resolved is if and when the Palestinians come to realise that they will not ever get everything they want. Currently they hold out hope that by just delaying, always asking for a final resolution but rejecting it when its offered, that they ultimately will get it all.

If Oslo wasn't enough, then nothing other than the destruction of the Jewish state will be enough.

During the past decade or so, the US/UN/EU have, by their inaction and overt action, suggested to the Palestinians (and the Israelis for that matter) that they may get their wishes if only they hold out. And why would the leadership settle when they can live off the teat of international largess while their people wallow in poverty.

By moving the embassy to Jerusalem, Trump can signal to the Palestinians that there's a new game in town and that delaying in the hope of getting it all may result in getting nothing. Maybe that and nudging from others who are much more concerned about Iran than they ever were about Israel, will push the Palestinians to treat with the Knesset.

It won't be a lasting settlement in the same way as Israel giving up Gaza wasn't the end of that issue, but it will be a large step in the right direction.

Dear Mhaze,

Excellent analysis!

Following this we really need to get worried about the day after.
Assume as you wrote that there will be some rotten deal where the so-called "Palestinians" will formally put up with having a minimal state in the Gaza strip and some shreds of the West Bank.

Whether the "Palestinians" keep this deal or break it later, indeed whether they even continue to exist, is not an issue - what matters is the character of the state of Israel and how it looks from within once it no longer has enemies from without. So long as Israel holds onto any of the cursed territories which it took in 1967 and in particular to Eastern Jerusalem and its "Wailing Wall", its pride and militarism will know no end, the pressures from extreme Jewish fanatics will keep mounting as they oppress Israel's other, sane, citizens which will eventually find no grounds to keep Israel in existence and so it will crumble. Alternately, Israel will become like Iran, North Korea or the Islamic State. In comparison, maintaining this low-level-never-ending war with the "Palestinians" is far better.

Dear Alon Ben-Meir,

There is so much wisedom in your article.

However I sadly very much doubt that the terms you list
that the US should insist from Israel are going to
happen.

Antony Loewenstein writes in his newsletter, February 9th,
2017:

"Welcome to Israel in the Age of Trump...

In Jerusalem last December I asked one of Israel's most
senior politicians, Yair Lapid, about the country's
50 year old occupation of Palestine. His response and
subsequent media coverage about my question - along with
Zionist lobby defamation, vicious social media attacks
along with Israeli government threats to expel me from
the country speaks volumes about the intolerance for
dissent in today's Jewish state and Jewish Diaspora."

That does not paint a very flexible portrait of Israel.

Loewenstein tells us that:

"It's just one very small example of growing authoritarianism
in Israel and abroad."

Loewenstein reminds us that he's been "reporting on
Israel/Palestine since 2003 and that there's been a stark
increase in Israeli extremism over the last decade."

He tells us that "2017 is the 50th Anniversary of Israel's
occupation of Palestinian territory. It's now permanent
with at least 600,000 Jewish settlers illegally living in
the West Bank. The result under President Trump will be
enabling the most extreme elements of Israeli Society."

We therefore get the distinct impression that Israel
will not do what anybody may suggest - they as always
will insist on calling the shots as they have done to
date. Still, we can live and hope that this American
President may be able to accomplish what nobody else
has been able to. Fingers-crossed for all concerned.

Because as Loewenstein tells us:

"Palestinians are facing unprecedented pressure and
repression, requiring global action."