By S.Ahmet Aytac
ANKARA (AA) – A panel of international journalists on Monday discussed the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital at Turkey's Directorate General of Press and Information (DGPI) on Monday.
Journalists and analysts gathered in Turkish capital Ankara and shared their opinions on recent developments in Jerusalem and the region.
Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Middle East conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem — occupied by Israel — might eventually serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.
Mirnes Kovac, Bosnian journalist and analyst, started his speech with the founder President of Bosnia-Herzegovina Alija Izzetbegovic’s words: “When everything is over, we will not remember the words of our enemies but rather the silence of our brothers.”
“Sarejova is the second Jerusalem of the world. We, as Muslims should visit Jerusalem, West Bank and Ramallah as much as we can to witness the plight of Palestinians, ” Kovac said.
“We need to know everything about Palestine and Quds. Words are useless now. We need actions and I am happy for Turkey’s clean support to Palestine, ” he added.
“When I look at the U.S. and its president’s decisions, I see the fall of an empire. Once, world saw the U.S. as creator of liberal and free world. Now it’s scrambling in terms of their values like liberty and freedom, ” Kovac said.
Francesca Borri, Italian war journalist and activist, pointed out that Jerusalem has a special value for her as she started her carrier from Ramallah.
– ‘Colonialism never ended’
“I am Italian and I can go to Jerusalem easily and freely but my Palestinian friend Mostapha, who was born in Jerusalem, can’t go to the city, that’s it, ” Borri said while discussing the situation in the city.
“As Westerners we think that world belongs to us and we act like that. We just support the strongest in the conflicts… We still believe that we own the world. Colonialism has never ended, ” she said.
“The UN disappeared in the world’s most recent conflicts. When you look at Kosovo, Bosnia, Syria, Iraq, Myanmar and now in Jerusalem, it [the UN] doesn’t have any impact at all. That’s why Turkey and its leader’s voice is important. As I always believe, the world is bigger than five, ” Borri added.
Maksim Shevcenko, a Russian journalist said that they supported peace and fulfillment of rights of Palestinian people.
Another panelist, Russian journalist described Jerusalem is a democracy and justice issue for Russia.
“I can say that no community has suffered [so much] as the Palestinians did. They just want democratic and free state in their land, ” he said.
“The world order should change, that is evident. The five permanent members-based UN world order is not working anymore. There is an urgent need for transformation, ” Shevconko said.
Speaking about the U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to the countries, which supported the Jerusalem vote in the UN General Assembly last December, he said: “Trump is new Hitler of our world.”
On Dec. 6, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, drawing condemnation from across the Arab and Muslim world and sparking angry protests across the Palestinian territories.
