Trump informs Palestine leader of Jerusalem move
RAMALLAH : US President Donald Trump told Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in a phone call on Tuesday that he intended to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Abbas’s office said.
Trump “informed the president (Abbas) on his intention to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,” a statement from the Palestinian presidency said.
Trump also phoned Jordan’s King Abdullah to tell him of the move. King Abdullah warned the US president that his decision would have “dangerous reper- cussions on security and stability” of the region, a statement from the Jordanian palace said.
It was not clear from the statement if Trump planned to move the embassy immediately or at some point in the future, with no details provided.
Moving the embassy and recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would mark a major shift in US policy that would upturn decades of precedent and run contrary to international consensus.
White House spokesman Hogan Gidley on Monday said Trump “has been clear on this issue from the get-go: It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when”. He said a declaration on the move would be made “in the coming days.”
In Tuesday’s call, Abbas in turn “warned of the dangerous consequences of such a decision on the peace process, security and stability in the region and the world,” the Palestinian statement said.
Abbas “will continue his communications with world leaders to prevent such an unacceptable and rejected step”.
Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Trump that the status of Jerusalem is a “red line” for Muslims. Saudi Arabia conveyed its “grave and deep concern” over the possible US plan, saying the move could have serious implications for the Palestinian-israeli conflict.
Germany also weighed in, with its foreign minister warning that the move would be dangerous and could deepen the Middle East conflict.
Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. It later annexed it, declaring the whole city its capital – a move not recognised internationally. Palestinians want Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
The status of Jerusalem is one of the most contentious issues of the long-running Israeli-palestinian conflict.