Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine

In defiance of international legitimacy and objections by countries around the world, the US opened its embassy in the occupied city of Jerusalem on Monday, fuelling condemnation and angry protests in Palestine as well as Arab and Muslim countries. 

By press time on Monday, more than 55 Palestinians were shot dead and more than 2,700 others were wounded in the Gaza Strip by trigger-happy Israeli occupation soldiers.

Jordan was quick in responding to the Israeli massacre in the besieged Palestinian enclave by moving to beef up capabilities at its decade-old field hospital in Gaza, while condemning the Israeli escalation and excessive use of force against the defenceless Palestinian people. The Kingdom also reiterated its rejection of the US move to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is supposed to be one of the key points to be negotiated between the Palestinians and Israelis in their stalled peace talks.

Jerusalem, which is supposed to be the city of peace, has been out of the blue turned by US President Donald Trump a new into  blood-letting issue due to domestic political calculations and the powerful pro-Israel lobby that lacks the vision and the will to help achieve peace in the land of the monotheistic religions. It is these groups that are empowering the Israeli tail to wag the powerful US dog, which — instead of working to revive peace efforts — is turning against a helpless people that has been suffering since the creation of Israel on their land in 1948. Ironically, the Palestinian people today mark 70 years of Nakba, or the catastrophe that they have living without any guilt of their own. Today, as they bury their dead and mark this day of catastrophe, they will be more determined to achieve their national aspirations in spite of the myopic US decision.

US presidents will continue to come and go, but the Palestinian people will live on despite attempts to deny their existence, the justice of their cause and the need to end their 70 years of suffering inflicted by their victimisers, who once upon a time were victims of a similar suffering.

Twelve million Palestinians will not vanish in thin air, and their Palestine will not disappear and will always remain where it has always been, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. 

Palestine will always live on, with Jerusalem as its capital.