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.
-
August 31 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include FEMA's new scheme, Gavin Newsom's antics, and a clue in the Epstein files
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky missionTalking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogsThe Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping missionSpeed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Settling the West Bank: a death knell for a Palestine state?In the Spotlight The reality on the ground is that the annexation of the West Bank is all but a done deal
-
The IDF's manpower problemThe Explainer Israeli military's shortage of up to 12,000 troops results in call-up for tens of thousands of reservists
-
What will security guarantees for Ukraine look like?Today's Big Question From boots on the ground to economic sanctions, here are the measures that might stop Russia taking another bite out of Ukraine
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest warSpeed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'
-
Will Ukraine trade territory for peace?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Kyiv’s defences are wearing thin but a land swap is constitutionally impossible and crosses Zelenskyy's red lines
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summitSpeed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position
