Conflict between Israelis and Palestinians over what is commonly known as the “Holy Land” has exited since the foundation of the Israeli state in 1948, but has escalated recently due to the interference of the United States. Just recently, on December 6, 2017, U.S. president Donald Trump publicly approved the American embassy move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This caused shockwaves around the world, but to understand the real problem, insight into the history, and current political state in the region is crucial.

Ever since the British partitioned Palestine to create Israel in 1948, conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as neighboring arab nations has ensued almost continuously. The initial partition gave Israel historically jewish lands, and left the remaining land for the Arab population to gvern for themselves. The city of Jerusalem was left out of either group’s territory, and was planned to be a self governing state on its own. Jerusalem, being a holy city for both Jewish and Islamic faiths quickly became a contested piece of territory. After 1948, a multitude of wars against Israel ensued, however Israel withstood the invasions, and expanded their influence and territorial claims. Their borders expanded to include most of Jerusalem, as well as almost all of what used to be the Palestinian state. Due to their political control of the city, israel claims it to be theirs and has created a movement to move the Israeli capital Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The United States comes into the picture in that they are a historical “peacekeeper” in the middle east, and have often been the negotiator for conflicts between Israelis and Arab nations. Because of their responsibility to be impartial in the region, any move to support Israel’s claim over Jerusalem would be seen as the United States becoming a full fledged ally of Israel.

However, the United States Congress did pass an act in 1995 that would move the American embassy to Jerusalem. Although the act was passed, every president since 1995 has postponed the over using their authority as president. This is largely due to the fact that the United Nations has in the past declared any move to claim Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is strictly illegal in the eyes of international law. It is also because the United States relies on any Arab and Middle Eastern nations for support in their wars on terror and insurgencies in the region. Any extreme support of Israel over Palestine could potentially make worse ties between the U.S. and countries such as Lebanon, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

Despite past precedent to keep the embassy from moving, President Trump and the current administration has decided to shift American international policy. Part of this sudden change includes supporting Israel in their fight to claim Jerusalem as their own. Trump’s words of support for the embassy move has the potential to bring either a stronger bond between Israel and the U.S., or a dangerously worse relation with Arab nations.