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.
-
What is at stake for Starmer in ChinaToday’s Big Question The British PM will have to ‘play it tough’ to achieve ‘substantive’ outcomes, while China looks to draw Britain away from US influence
-
How the ‘British FBI’ will workThe Explainer New National Police Service to focus on fighting terrorism, fraud and organised crime, freeing up local forces to tackle everyday offences
-
The best family hotels in EuropeThe Week Recommends Top kid-friendly hotels with clubs, crèches and fun activities for children of all ages – and some downtime for the grown-ups
-
China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
-
Ukraine, US and Russia: do rare trilateral talks mean peace is possible?Rush to meet signals potential agreement but scepticism of Russian motives remain
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Trump backs off Greenland threats, declares ‘deal’Speed Read Trump and NATO have ‘formed the framework for a future deal,’ the president claimed
-
Iran in flames: will the regime be toppled?In Depth The moral case for removing the ayatollahs is clear, but what a post-regime Iran would look like is anything but
-
Europe moves troops to Greenland as Trump fixatesSpeed Read Foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark met at the White House yesterday
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Trump, Iran trade threats as protest deaths riseSpeed Read The death toll in Iran has surpassed 500
