Palestinians, Jordan warn US not to recognize Jerusalem as Israeli capital
Israel Hayom
December 4, 2017
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday warned that American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital would jeopardize the White House's nascent Middle East peace efforts.
Abbas' comments came amid a diplomatic push by the Palestinian leader to rally international support against the possible American move later this week.
"Any American step related to the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel, or moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, represents a threat to the future of the peace process and is unacceptable for the Palestinians, Arabs and internationally," Abbas told a group of visiting Arab lawmakers from Israel, according to the official Wafa news agency.
American officials have said Trump may recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital this week as a way to offset his likely decision to delay fulfilling his campaign promise to relocate the U.S. Embassy from its current location in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital, with most government functions, including the Prime Minister's Office, Supreme Court and Knesset, located in the holy city.
But the international community says the city's status should be determined through peace talks. The Palestinians envision east Jerusalem as the capital of any future Palestinian state.
Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said late Saturday that the president has been in touch with Arab and world leaders to rally opposition against any American move on Jerusalem.
He said Abbas had been in contact with leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and France.
"We believe that such an American step, if it takes place, will usher the region into a new course, and a dangerous phase, the results of which cannot be controlled," he said.
The White House, led by Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, has held months of meetings with leaders across the region ahead of an expected peace initiative. While the proposal is expected to be regional in scope, little is known about the details, including whether Trump will continue the policies of recent predecessors in supporting the notion of an independent Palestinian state.
Kushner said Sunday that Trump has not yet decided whether to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital or whether to proceed immediately in moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city. "He is still looking at a lot of different facts," Kushner said at the Saban Forum, an annual Middle East policy conference in Washington.
Ahead of Kushner's comments, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat urged the U.S. not to move forward with any change on Jerusalem's status.
Doing so, he said, "is not only going to promote international anarchy and disrespect for global institutions and law, but it [the U.S.] would also be disqualifying itself from playing any role in any initiative toward achieving a just and lasting peace."
Abbas adviser Azzam al-Ahmed echoed Erekat's sentiments, telling Israel Hayom on Sunday that "if Trump indeed makes this declaration, Washington will no longer be able to take part in the peace process or any future negotiations."
Meanwhile, Jordan has begun consultations on convening an emergency meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ahead of the expected move, a senior Jordanian diplomatic source said.
Jordan, the current president of the Arab summit, was expected to convene the two bodies if recognition of Jerusalem is declared, to "discuss ways of dealing with the consequences of such a decision that raised alarm and concern," the senior Jordanian source told Reuters.
"It could ultimately hamper all efforts to get the peace process moving and would certainly be provocative to Arab and Muslim countries and Muslim communities across the West," said the source, asking not to be named.
"No issue can move Arabs and Muslims in the same potent way as Jerusalem does."
King Abdullah's Hashemite dynasty is the custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, making Amman sensitive to any changes to the status of the city.
Officials are worried the move could trigger violence in the Palestinian territories and a spillover into Jordan, a country where many people are descendants of Palestinian refugees whose families fled after the establishment of Israel in 1948.
"A tremendous wave of anger will spread across the Arab and Muslim world," said another regional diplomatic source in touch with U.S. officials on the issue.
Abdullah warned of the repercussions of Trump's expected move in talks last week in Washington with top administration officials.
Trump suggested earlier this year he was open to new ways to achieve Middle East peace that did not necessarily entail the establishment of a Palestinian state, a hallmark of U.S. policy for decades.
"If it happens [recognition of Jerusalem], it will jeopardize all efforts toward stability and peace in the region and thwart a resolution of the conflict," the diplomatic source said.
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