U.S. to Recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital, Trump Says, Alarming Middle East Leaders

U.S. to Recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital, Trump Says, Alarming Middle East Leaders
President Trump told Israeli and Arab leaders on Tuesday
that he plans to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a symbolically fraught move that would upend decades of American policy and upset efforts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
Palestinian officials said Mr. Trump told the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas,
that the United States would move the embassy to Jerusalem.
“Things look very bad.”
The Palestinian news agency, WAFA, quoted Mr. Abbas’s spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, as saying
that Mr. Abbas will continue his contacts with world leaders to prevent such “unacceptable action.”
King Abdullah also spoke with Mr. Abbas, assuring him of Jordan’s support for the Palestinians “in preserving their historic rights in Jerusalem
and the need to work together to confront the consequences of this decision,” it said.
“King Abdullah stressed that the adoption of this resolution will have serious implications for security
and stability in the Middle East, and will undermine the efforts of the American administration to resume the peace process and fuel the feelings of Muslims and Christians,” the statement said.
spokesman said that the call had given shape to the worst fears of Palestinians —
that the United States would break with decades of practice and longstanding international consensus by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.