KUALA LUMPUR: The United States will face difficulty to carry out its threat on countries which had voted against its move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, said an analyst.
Universiti Utara Malaysia foreign relations expert Dr Muhammad Fuad Othman said the threat would only remain as an intimidation if more countries came together to condemn the US over the Jerusalem issue.
“They (US) can’t threaten everyone. If everybody is against it, the US can’t do anything, provided that everyone opposes the move by the US.
“The US can’t impose sanction on everybody across the board because it also has businesses overseas,” he told the New Straits Times.
He was asked on Malaysia’s stance on the issue despite US’ threats to cut aid to countries that had voted at the United Nations against the declaration to make Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
On Dec 6, US President Donald Trump declared that Jerusalem would be Israel’s capital and that US embassy would be relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Trump’s announcement was met with strong objections by several Muslim nations including Malaysia, where Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak during the recent Extraordinary Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had said the government condemned and totally rejected the unilateral decision by the US.
Fuad said if Muslim countries managed to show a firm solidarity, they would be able to put pressure on the US from pursuing its decision.
“A concerted effort and united voice can bring significant influence and pressure onto the US government. Whether they will change their stance, that’s a different story. For now, we have to mobilise an action.”
Fuad suggested for the international community to raise the issue in a similar approach previously exercised against the Apartheid system in South Africa, which was ended through a series of negotiations between 1990 and 1993.
“We can apply the interdependence theory on this issue. We are not the only one depending on them. They depend on us too. It’s a matter of how we put our case forward.
“I think the international community should escalate the issue and put what they have done before, like how they were against the Apartheid system.
“What Israel is doing now (to the Palestinians) is similar to the Apartheid system,” he added.
On Friday, Najib led a rally of 10,000 people at the Putra Mosque in Putrajaya where leaders from all political alliance and non-governmental organisations, regardless of religion and backgrounds, gathered to oppose the US’ move.
Najib had sent a strong message, vowing that he would not back down on efforts to defend Palestine even if “my body is cut into pieces, even if only a piece of flesh is left, I will continue to defend this principle”.