Global concern mounts over Trump’s move on Jerusalem

IGNITING A POWDER KEG Status of the historic city is a critical issue in the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, with both sides claiming it to be their capital

Global concern mounted on Wednesday over an announcement by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, with Pope Francis joining a list of leaders warning of the potential for dangerous fallout.

The move by Trump upends decades of careful US policy and ignore dire warnings of a historic misstep that could trigger a surge of violence in the Middle East.

Trump’s plan to relocate the the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will reignite decadeslong dispute over a city considered holy by Jews, Muslims and Christians.

“It will take some time to find a site, to address security concerns, design a new facility, fund a new facility (for the embassy) and build it,” a Trump administration official said, adding “it will be a matter of some years.”

The status of Jerusalem is a critical issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both sides claiming the city as their capital.

In a frantic series of calls, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the European Union, France, Germany and Turkey all warned Trump against the move.

Anticipating protests, US government officials and their families were ordered to avoid Jerusalem’s Old City and the West Bank.

Hundreds of Palestinians burned US and Israeli flags as well as pictures of Trump in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, while relatively small clashes erupted near the West Bank city of Hebron and a refugee camp near Bethlehem.

A range of world leaders issued further warnings.

“I cannot silence my deep concern over the situation that has emerged in recent days,” Pope Francis said, a day after speaking by phone with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

The pontiff added that maintaining Jerusalem’s status quo was important “in order to avoid adding new elements of tension to an already volatile world that is wracked by so many cruel conflicts”.

British foreign minister Boris Johnson expressed concern “because we think that Jerusalem obviously should be part of the final settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, a negotiated settlement.” China warned the plan could fuel tensions in the region and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said “Muslims must stand united against this major plot.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul on December 13.