#HandsoffJerusalem

The Twittersphere has been awash with opinions on the unfolding events in Jerusalem this morning, as the world waits with baited breath to see if, or indeed when, US President Donald Trump will announce his decision on whether to officially recognise the city as Israel’s capital and move the US embassy from Tel Aviv.

Hashtags #Jerusalem were popular in English and in Arabic, with many expressing the sentiment echoed by world leaders that Jerusalem is a “red line” not to be crossed:

#Jerusalem #Trump #jerusalem is red line #jerusalem_for_palestine #Palestinians #Palestine #الإمارات #DonaldTrump #Jerusalem trump #القدس #فلسطين #القدس_عربية pic.twitter.com/U2bXvvIWoJ

— Aseel (@soosazeid) December 6, 2017

Many shared images of the iconic Dome of the Rock, emphasising that Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine:

Dera World 🌍 ,,,
Al Quds “Jerusalem” is a Palestinian 🇵🇸 land. #Jerusalem #HandsOffJerusalem #القدس_عاصمة_فلسطين #القدس #فلسطين #CapitalOfPalestine #Palestine pic.twitter.com/WVSMil8i6i

— Abdullah Al-Badarneh (@abdullahbadarne) December 5, 2017

#HandsoffJerusalem or #HandsoffalQuds also featured, with Twitter user Bea tweeting Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani’s ode to Jerusalem:

Oh #Jerusalem, the fragrance of prophets
The shortest path between earth and sky
Oh Jerusalem, the citadel of laws
A beautiful child with fingers charred
and downcast eyes

~Nizar Qabbani

Lens F Amirah#HandsOffAlQuds pic.twitter.com/oB8M7bLdYd

— Bea (@HerNameIs_Bea) December 5, 2017

Many users have placed the current events in Jerusalem within the wider historical context of the ongoing occupation and annexation of the city. Captured from Jordan by Israeli forces in the 1967 War, Jerusalem has since become central to discussions of a peace process, with the Palestinians claiming it as the capital of any future Palestinian state.

Egyptian user Etsh shared several images of the loss of Palestinian land, from the situation in Mandate Palestine in 1946 through to the UN Partition Plan of 1947, Israeli expansion beyond the Green Line in 1967 up to the present day, showing the discontiguous Palestinian population centres that many have termed the Palestinian archipelago.

To #Trump at first you took their land and now you want to take their hope please stop that and leave them in peace and don't move the #Embassy to #Jerusalem #Palestine is arabic country please respect us and don’t make war #القدس_عاصمة_فلسطين #القدس #القدس_عربية #stopwar pic.twitter.com/lFw5IMo9xY

— Hesham 🇪🇬 (@etsho007) December 5, 2017

Some turned the situation back to an American context, asking Trump how he would feel if this historic loss of land had happened to the USA:

How would u feel??@realDonaldTrump
#القدس_عاصمه_فلسطين_الابديه pic.twitter.com/Wdn0LzyYtF

— Aحmad シ 🇸🇾🇷🇺 (@AF_SYR) December 6, 2017

Many had strong words for Trump, who has received almost universal condemnation from leaders across the international community in response to his upcoming announcement. One Jerusalemite said it wasn’t Trump’s place to decide the city’s status.

#Palestinian in #Jerusalem react to #Trump’s Jerusalem announcement pic.twitter.com/sK0LDOMXrq

— Nasser Atta (@nasseratta5) December 6, 2017

Others shared gifs to express their disdain for the President’s decision:

https://twitter.com/juschillaxing/status/938352085585756161

But not everyone felt that the President was making the wrong decision. Scott Presler, a vocal Republican supporter associated with the anti-Islam ACT for America organisation, saw Trump’s move as evidence of his strongman approach to foreign policy.

Arab World: "You can't move the embassy to Jerusalem."

President Trump: "Watch me."#Jerusalem #TuesdayThoughts

— #ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) December 5, 2017

Arsen Ostrovsky, executive director of the Israel-Jewish Congress (IJC) and international human rights lawyer, shared a similar sentiment, suggesting that the announcement would be long overdue recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s “undivided” capital.

My article in @ynetnews today ahead of an impending announcement by President #Trump:

"Enough is enough! There is never a wrong time to do what is right, just and moral. #Jerusalem must be recognized as #Israel’s capital."https://t.co/ivL9Y7RWfA pic.twitter.com/HgEpeGBdz9

— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) December 5, 2017