Donald Trump has been urged by a number of Middle Eastern leaders not to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, ahead of a speech later today in which the US president is expected to announce his stance on the issue.
Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi has told US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that any move by Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital would “trigger great anger in the Arab and Muslim world”, according to the BBC.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has reportedly made a series of phone calls to world leaders to explain the dangers of accepting Israel’s claim to the city.
Publicly, he said: “Any American step related to the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel, or moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, represents a threat to the future of the peace process and is unacceptable for the Palestinians, Arabs and internationally.”
Trump is due to decide on whether he will sign a new six-monthly waiver to the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which mandates the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem, later today. During his presidential campaign, he made a promise to move the embassy.
“The suggestion that Trump could designate Jerusalem Israel’s capital was being touted as a step short of moving the embassy,” The Guardian says. “While largely symbolic, it is being fiercely opposed by a number of countries in the region.”
Last night, senior White House adviser Jared Kushner said Trump was “still looking at a lot of different facts” regarding Jerusalem.
-
President Trump: ‘waging war’ on ChicagoTalking Point Federal agents are carrying out ‘increasingly aggressive’ immigration raids – but have sanctuary cities like Chicago brought it on themselves?
-
Sudoku medium: October 18, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Sudoku hard: October 18, 2025The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
Gaza’s reconstruction: the steps to rebuildingIn The Spotlight Even the initial rubble clearing in Gaza is likely to be fraught with difficulty and very slow
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
‘Extraordinary asymmetry’: the history of Israeli prisoner swapsIn The Spotlight Exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees is the latest in a series of trades in which Israeli lives appear to count for more
-
Can Gaza momentum help end the war in Ukraine?Today's Big Question Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles hints at ‘warming relations’ between Ukraine and US
-
Remaking the military: Pete Hegseth’s war on diversity and ‘fat generals’Talking Point The US Secretary of War addressed military members on ‘warrior ethos’
-
How does the Nobel Peace Prize work?The Explainer Activist María Corina Machado wins prestigious prize, despite public campaign by Donald Trump
-
Israel, Hamas agree to first step of Trump peace planSpeed Read Israel’s military pulls back in Gaza amid prisoner exchange
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s planSpeed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
