Be prepared for the fallout after Trump's decision on Jerusalem

THE meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jerusalem went predictably. US President Donald Trump's decision to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the Holy City was denounced in no uncertain terms.

As a counter move, OIC leaders meeting in Istanbul last week declared East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine and called on the rest of the world to follow in their footsteps. There was much rhetoric about the status of Jerusalem being a red line. An Arab-Israeli lawmaker even called on the summiteers to expel US ambassadors in response. In the event, the OIC leaders departed quietly without any real strategy to deal with the new US stance. Despite earlier threats, the summit's host Turkey has maintained diplomatic ties with Israel. No one took the Arab-Israeli's proposal about curbing ties with Washington seriously.

Truth be told, the whole issue of Israeli occupation of Palestine is no longer a priority for most neighbouring Arab nations. Some have made peace with Israel. Others have covert ties. The Palestinian cause is lost; there is no serious prospect for a comprehensive settlement. The 2.8 million Palestinians in the occupied territories will continue to live under Israeli military rule because the occupied territories are also home to more than 500,000 Israeli settlers. No government in Israel can be seen to abandon them and survive politically.