First of all I am no expert but have been following Middle East politics for many years.
I’ve been thinking why would Trump recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel knowing the consequences would be major violence for years to come, rebuttal by most of the world leaders and antagonization of all muslims. I don’t accept this is just another of Trump’s whim as i don’t see him as the foolish\crazy man some of the media present him as. Surely speaking is not his best traits. However, this decision is either a well thought long term plan or opportunistic move.
First of all this was not the decision of Trump. The fact that every US president for the last 20 or so years has promised to announce Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but did not have the balls to do so shows that there has always been a grand design or at least a major need to satisfy the Israeli lobby in the US and evangelicals. But why do it now? If something like that was done 7 years ago there would almost certainly be a war with Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Hezbollah, PLO, Hamas and so on and with the islamic radicalization around the world there would be no shortage of mujahideens.
However the situation now is different. Syria and Iraq are in tatters after years of war with hundred of thousands dead. Egypt is fighting ISIS on the border with Israel and there is always a threat from escalations in Lybia. For the past few years Hezbollah has been made in the media as a threat greater that ISIS and it gets bombarded frequently by Israeli planes. Iran has been threaten with war. Jordan has always been a puppet state. Turkey is a wild card but they can always be tamed or at least kept busy with a Kurdish uprising. Those on the Arab peninsula are busy with fighting in Yemen, with internal strives and with neighbors. Also surely Bin Salman is in on the plan. The Arab league is weak and divided. However the Syrian plan did not work and Assad is still in power yet weak enough so he cannot rally a major support for an armed conflict with Israel so maybe this is an opportunistic move as this would be the best time the plan masters will get to achieve their goals. In fact it seems that weakening Israel’s neighbors has been always the plan for the fiasco we witness in the middle east for the past 6 or so years … or maybe longer.
It is also possible that Trump/Netanyahu and Co made this radical move intentionally undermining all peace efforts, causing uprising and eventually forcing negotiations in their own terms which would mean some concessions… maybe to recognize Palestine as a state for the price of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel!
Just my amateurish analysis on Saturday night with nothing better to do and tired of all the crypto action past few days.
Pls excuse my English as it is not my first language so there probably are structural and gramatic mistakes