Palestinians in Ottawa rally against Trump's support of Jerusalem
Hundreds of Palestinians and their supporters marched from the U.S. Embassy to the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa Saturday, calling on Canada to put more pressure on President Donald Trump to reverse his controversial declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.
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Most countries have not recognized Israel's claim to East Jerusalem, which it took over in 1967's Six Days War, and keep their embassies in Tel Aviv because of this.
Palestinians say East Jerusalem will one day be the capital of their independent state, which would exist alongside Israel — known as the two-state solution — so it's an important part of the negotiations for peace in the long-lasting conflict in the area.
Israeli leaders say there won't be peace without Jerusalem as their country's capital.
When Trump announced this week the U.S would be moving its embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing it as Israel's capital, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a major step toward peace — while Palestinians called it a major step back.
"This will [cause] big damage to the peace process and will hold it back years before it starts again," said Jamal Hamed, president of the Association of Palestinian Arab Canadians (APAC), on Saturday in Ottawa.
"[The] U.S. always was a middle man between the two parties. This will not give the U.S. any legitimate place in the peace process. Palestinians can't trust the U.S. to be a mediator."
"To declare the entire city as the capital of Israel, it's like you've completely disregarded the Palestinian state," said Janan Arafa, an APAC board member.
"Many countries have advocated for a two-state solution. And by doing this, it's like you've completely [crossed] that out of any peace talks."
Hamed said he's glad Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government continue to support a two-state solution and say the Canadian embassy won't be moving to Jerusalem.
However, he also felt the government could still do more to halt the escalating tension.
"I hope the whole world will interfere with this and stop the U.S. aggression," he said.
"As Palestinian-Canadians, we ask our government to interfere more and to have more effect on the U.S. and for the United Nations to have resolutions against the U.S."
Similar rallies were also held Saturday in other Canadian cities such as Toronto and Windsor, Ont.
