Relocating the American embassy to Jerusalem

In conjunction with that, Trump must reemphasize the US' traditional support for the two-state solution and the establishment of the Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem, provided that the Palestinians move quickly and steadily toward negotiating peace with Israel. The US ought to make it clear that relocating the American embassy to West Jerusalem does not constitute recognition of Israel's sovereignty over East Jerusalem.

That said, the US needs to reaffirm its position that Jerusalem must remain under any circumstances an undivided city and that the rights of every religious and ethnic group are secured. To assure the Palestinians of its intention, the US could purchase land or a building in East Jerusalem for future use for the American embassy in Palestine, because in any case there will be no Israeli-Palestinian peace unless East Jerusalem becomes the capital of the state of Palestine.

There is no doubt that the Netanyahu government would vehemently object to such a move, but due to the fact that US military and political support is indispensable for Israel, no Israeli government can ignore the US' position. Indeed, if Trump is concerned (as I believe he is) about Israel's national security and its future wellbeing, the only way to safeguard that is by insisting that the two-state solution remains a viable option.

The implications of such a move alone will be far and wide: Notwithstanding Israel's stern objection, it will breathe new life into the two-state solution; It will prompt the Palestinians to change their approach to the conflict by ending incitement and violence, as they will begin to see the prospect of establishing a Palestinian state could soon become a reality which they do not want to jeopardize; It will dramatically enhance the US' overall positon among its Arab allies and restore its credibility as the ultimate guarantor of regional stability; It will prompt the Arab states to support the American initiative and pressure Palestinian extremists to accept the inevitable;It will strengthen the hand of Israel's opposition parties, who will be in a better position to develop alternate policies to that of Netanyahu while weakening the hand of extremist Israelis.To be sure, President Trump can keep his promise to relocate the American embassy and at the same time, instead of torpedoing any prospect for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, inject new life into it and perhaps put an end to the most debilitating conflict since World War II.