Saudi Arabia condemns US move on Jerusalem
RIYADH, December 7, 2017
Saudi Arabia has condemned the US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, amid growing international criticism of the move.
In a statement, Saudi Arabia said President Donald Trump's announcement was "unjustified and irresponsible", a BBC report quoted.
The international community does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, believing its status should be resolved in negotiations. No other country has its embassy in Jerusalem.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the US abdicated its role as a mediator in peace efforts, and Palestinian secular and Islamist factions called for a general strike and rallies on Thursday to protest.
President Trump's move reversed decades of US policy. The fate of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest issues between Israel and the Palestinians and the US move could imperil Middle East peace efforts and upset the Arab world and Western allies alike.
“I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Trump said in a speech at the White House. “While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering.”
Eight of the 15 nations who are currently members of the United Nations Security Council have called for the body to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision by the end of the week.
Trump announced his administration would begin a process of moving the US embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a step expected to take years and one that his predecessors opted not to take to avoid inflaming tensions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump’s announcement as a “historic landmark,” but other close Western allies of Washington such as Britain and France were critical.
