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Tuesday 8 January 2019 - 08:02

Zarif on Bolton pic: VR glasses useless if you’re blind

Story Code : 770890
US National Security Advisor John Bolton (2nd row-2nd R) and others are seen wearing virtual reality goggles during a visit to the Western Wall in East Jerusalem al-Quds
US National Security Advisor John Bolton (2nd row-2nd R) and others are seen wearing virtual reality goggles during a visit to the Western Wall in East Jerusalem al-Quds' Old City, January 6, 2019.

On Sunday, John Bolton and others were photographed wearing the device during a visit to the Jewish holy site of the Western Wall in East al-Quds, which Palestinians want as the capital of their future state.

“It's said a picture says a thousand words. This picture, however, says more than a thousand words about decades of failed US policies in our region,” Zarif tweeted on Monday. “In the valley of the blind, even those with VR glasses are still blind,” he added, apparently referring to Washington and Tel Aviv’s persisting ignorance of the region’s history and Palestinians’ historic demands.

Accompanying Bolton on the tour of the city were his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben-Shabbat, Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.

The US recognized al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” in late 2017, and relocated its embassy from Tel Aviv to the city last May in direct violation of the Palestinians’ concerns regarding the city’s status.

The United Nations General Assembly voted soon after the recognition in favor of a resolution asking US President Donald Trump to withdraw the decision.

Bolton’s visit further angered Palestinians as he allowed Israeli officials to accompany him on the tour.

Since the international community does not recognize al-Quds as Israeli territory, foreign dignitaries would usually avoid having Israeli officials at their side while visiting the Western Wall.

“Undermining international law by representatives of a superpower, will only lead to lawlessness, the logic of power rather than the power of logic. This behavior will not change the fact that East Jerusalem is occupied territory and the capital of the state of Palestine,” tweeted chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat in reaction.
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