İbrahim Karagül: Jerusalem has been abandoned

Yeni Şafak daily and TVNET Editor-In-Chief İbrahim Karagül assessed developments throughout the Middle East, especially the U.S.’s plan to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in an online discussion shared on social media platforms on Wednesday.

“Any negotiation regarding Jerusalem is treachery,” said Karagül during a program with Yeni Şafak's Digital Publications Manager Ersin Çelik that was posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

U.S. officials have said Trump is likely to give a speech on Wednesday unilaterally recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a step that would break with decades of U.S. policy and could fuel violence in the Middle East.

He said that there can be no excuses regarding the issue of Jerusalem, and even if U.S. President Donald Trump recognizes the city as the Israeli capital, it will not be recognized by the international community.

“The Jewish lobby in the U.S. forced Trump about the Jerusalem issue. They are trying to legitimize the occupation of Jerusalem through Trump,” he added.

Stating that Jerusalem has been abandoned, especially by the Arab world, Karagül said that Jerusalem was trying to be presented to Israel, and the regimes in the region should be particularly discussed, focusing on the relations between the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel.

"I believe that Young Arab administrators, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), negotiated with the U.S. and Israel regarding Jerusalem. The U.S. and Israel are pushing Saudi Arabia and the UAE to start a war against Iran and are telling them that Israel is not the enemy,” said Karagül.

Karagül added that a special statute will be declared for Mecca and Medina under the administration of Israel, the U.S. and the United Kingdom unless the Muslim world takes action. “The only way to prevent this attack on Jerusalem is through public resistance,” he noted.

“We are fighting against a sophisticated but clear front, such in we did in the World War I. You cannot resist by giving in. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are trying to resist by cooperating. The issue of Jerusalem negates all plots staged in the region. They are trying to degrade the sanctity of Islam. Action should be taken.”

Jerusalem is sacred to both Muslims and Jews, as it includes sites known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary), al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the rock, as well as an ancient Jewish temple.