Jerusalem: The Fatal Blow to Trump’s “Ultimate Deal”?

On December 12, 2017, Arab Center Washington DC hosted a panel to discuss President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Executive Director Khalil Jahshan described the move as a strategic "misstep" that alienated global allies while inadvertently unifying Arab and Muslim voices. Panelist Yousef Munayyer argued that the declaration ended the Oslo Accords era and signaled that the US had abandoned its role as an impartial mediator by validating Israeli narratives and settlement expansion. He noted that the 1947 UN partition plan originally treated Jerusalem as a separate entity, but current US policy suggests the city’s status is no longer up for negotiation, leaving Palestinians feeling that a two-state solution is no longer viable.

Zaha Hassan highlighted that the policy shift appeared to prioritize domestic political interests and Netanyahu’s legal troubles over international law. She detailed how the administration tried to pressure the Palestinians into accepting Israeli terms via Saudi Arabia, which led to a breakdown in diplomatic credibility. Perry Cammack added that the decision was "negotiating malpractice," as the US surrendered a major bargaining chip for nothing in return. He observed that while Israel may see a continuation of the status quo, the US faces increasing diplomatic isolation. Ultimately, the panel noted that with demographic parity in 2017—6.4 million Palestinians and 6.4 million Israelis—the shift away from a two-state framework may lead to a push for a binational state or rights-based civil resistance.