TRUMP MOVE REIGNITES PALESTINE
UAE AND SAUDI ARABIA EXPRESS CONCERN; UN COUNCIL TO HOLD EMERGENCY SESSION
EU pledges to reinvigorate diplomacy with Russia, the United States, Jordan and other nations to ensure Palestinians have a capital in Jerusalem
I n Palestine, scenes reminiscent of past intifadas unfolded as the young and old, took to the streets to defiantly throw stones at Israeli occupation soldiers — a day after US President Donald Trump unilaterally recognised occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Around the world, condemnations continued to pour in.
The UAE expressed “deep concern for the region’s stability while Saudi Arabia said it deeply regreted the decision and had warned of the consequences of such an “irresponsible and unwarranted step”.
“The US has pulled the pin on a bomb ready to blow in the region,” Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, adding that Turkey — a Nato ally — will not recognise the move.
It will throw the Middle East into a “ring of fire,” added Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In Iraq, Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi, a close US partner in the fight against Daesh, called on Trump to reverse the decision, warning that it could further destabilise the region.
“No one has the right to justify the [Israeli] occupation,” of Palestinian land, including occupied East Jerusalem, he said.
Iraqi Shiite militias said the move meant that US soldiers in Iraq became legitimate targets.
Meanwhile, the EU’s top diplomat pledged yesterday to reinvigorate diplomacy with Russia, the United States, Jordan and others to ensure Palestinians have a capital in Jerusalem.
“The European Union has a clear and united position. We believe the only realistic solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine is based on two states and with Jerusalem as the capital of both,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told a news conference. The UN Security Council will meet today in emergency session to discuss developments. The talks - requested by Bolivia, Britain, Egypt, France, Italy, Senegal, Sweden and Uruguay would only centre on Jerusalem.