‘Decision on Jerusalem close’
But leaders warn Trump against recognising city as Israel’s capital, saying it will spark violence.
WAsHington: US President Donald Trump is close to a decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, his son-in-law and Middle East peace envoy Jared Kushner said.
Palestinian leaders are lobbying desperately against such a move, which the Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit said would boost fanaticism and violence while sinking hopes for peace.
But Kushner, the 36-year-old head of a small and tight-knit White House negotiating team, made a rare public appearance on Sunday to put an optimistic face on his efforts.
“The president’s going to make his decision,” Kushner told the Saban Forum, choosing not to deny reports that Trump would declare Jerusalem Israel’s capital tomorrow.
“He’s still looking at a lot of different facts and when he makes his decision, he’ll be the one who wants to tell you, so he’ll make sure he does that at the right time.”
Yesterday, Trump was expected to decide whether to sign a legal waiver that would delay plans to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for another six months.
Every US president has done this since 1995, judging the time not ripe for such a move, and Trump is expected to begrudgingly do so for a second time this week.
But, according to diplomats and observers, he is also now expected to announce in a speech tomorrow that he supports Israel’s claim on Jerusalem as its capital.
Arab League leader Abul Gheit, meanwhile, said his organisation was closely following the issue and was in contact with the Palestinian authorities and Arab states to coordinate the Arab position if Trump took the step.
“It is unfortunate that some are insisting on carrying out this step without any regard to the dangers it carries to the stability of the Middle East and the whole world,” he told reporters in Cairo on Sunday.
“Nothing justifies this act ... it will not serve peace or stability, instead it will nourish fanaticism and violence.”
Palestinians have been lobbying regional leaders to oppose the decision and the armed Hamas movementhas threatened to launch a new intifada (uprising).
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas spoke to Hamas leader Ismail Haniya late on Sunday, a Hamas statement said, with the two sides agreeing their opposition to any shift in US policy.
The rare call between the two comes as attempts at implementing a reconciliation deal have faltered in recent days.
But Kushner, addressing a sympathetic audience at an annual meeting of Israeli and US policymakers hosted by businessman Haim Saban, sees grounds for optimism.
The real estate developer turned presidential adviser is working closely with Israeli officials and has developed ties with the young Saudi and Emirati monarchs.
He sees an opportunity for peace if the Sunni Arab countries of the region align themselves with Israel in opposition to the threat of Iran.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shares this hope, although he dares to hope that an accommodation with Arab countries could precede any Palestinian deal.
Kushner, in common with US official thinking under previous administrations, said he saw a IsraeliPalestinian settlement coming before any great re-alignment.
“You’ve got to focus on solving the big issue,” he told a friendly but frankly skeptical Saban, as well as an audience of dignitaries and policy experts.
“The regional dynamic plays a big role in what we think the opportunities are because ... a lot of these countries look and say they all want the same thing.
“And they look at the regional threats and I think that they see Israel, who is traditionally their foe, is a much more natural ally to them than it was 20 years ago,” Kushner added.
“You’ve a lot of people who want to put this together, but you have to overcome this issue of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict in order for that to happen.”