Global Condemnation of Trump’s Recognition of Al-Quds as Capital of Zionist Entity

US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize al-Quds as the capital of Israel continued on Friday to be met with global condemnations with warnings of more tension in the occupied territories.

EU: Trump’s decision on al-Quds to take Mideast to ‘even darker times‘

According Press TV, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says US President Donald Trump’s recognition of al-Quds as the Israeli “capital” could take the region “backwards to even darker times.”

Speaking at a press conference in the Belgian capital, Brussels, Mogherini warned that Trump’s decision “has a very worrying potential impact.”

“It is a very fragile context and the announcement has the potential to send us backwards to even darker times than the ones we’re already living in,” she added.

 Mogherini’s comments came one day after Trump officially recognized Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of Israel and directed his administration to begin a years-long process of moving the American embassy in Tel Aviv to the holy city.

The top EU diplomat underlined the need for “an even stronger engagement for peace” at the current difficult time.

“What we truly need in these difficult times is wisdom and to listen to the wise voices calling for peace and peaceful reactions,” she said. “The most urgent priority now is that all relevant actors avoid to further escalate tensions on the ground.”

The Tel Aviv regime lays claim to the entirety of al-Quds as its “capital”.

France and Germany

France and Germany pointed out that the decision disregarded all international agreements. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed regret at Trump’s “unilateral” decision, underlining that France “does not approve of” it.

Angela Merkel’s spokesman said the German Chancellor “doesn’t support” the US recognition of al-Quds as Israel’s capital. In a statement, Merkel said Berlin was sticking to the relevant UN resolutions, which make clear that “the status of Jerusalem (all-Quds) needs to be negotiated as part of negotiations on a two-state solution.”

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned the new US stance would provoke a “new escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.”

Putin, Erdogan voice concerns over US embassy move

In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, held a phone conversation on Thursday, during which they voiced concerns over Washington’s decision to move its embassy to al-Quds.

“Both sides expressed serious concern in connection with the U.S. decision to recognize [Jerusalem] as the capital of Israel and the announcement of plans to transfer the American embassy there from Tel Aviv. Such steps can cancel out prospects for a Middle East peace process,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

“They noted that a further escalation of tension in the region cannot be allowed. The efforts of the international community should be directed to facilitating a renewal of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations with the aim of seeking compromise solutions to all the problems, including the question of Jerusalem’s status,” it added.

Russia concerned about Trump’s move

Similarly, the Russian Foreign Ministry voiced alarm over Trump’s decision, warning that it risked aggravating already complicated Israeli-Palestinian ties and threatened regional security.

“Moscow views the decisions announced in Washington with serious concern,” the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

“In light of this we call on all involved parties to show restraint and forgo any action that would be fraught with dangerous and uncontrollable consequences,” it added.

Moscow further reiterated that the dispute over the status of al-Quds should be resolved through “direct Palestinian-Israeli talks”.

Additionally, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the recent US move is causing a split in the international community.

Russia’s RIA news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov as saying that Moscow would criticize Trump’s decision at the United Nations Security Council.

The council is expected to meet on Friday for talks called by more than half its members in response to Trump’s controversial decision.

Also on Thursday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim accused Washington of trying to “blow up” the entire region.

“The United States has pulled the pin on a bomb ready to blow in the region,” Yildirim told a conference in Ankara on Thursday.

Hezbollah MPs slam aggression against Palestine

Meanwhile, the parliamentary group of the Hezbollah resistance movement said in a televised statement that Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” constituted an unprecedented aggression against Palestine.

The statement added that Trump’s move was the “most dangerous” move made by any American administration as it threatened international security.

Iraq raps Trump’s measure

Moreover, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari summoned the US ambassador to Baghdad to protest the decision.

Prominent Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr also demanded the closure of the American embassy in Baghdad.

Violent clashes

In the Palestinian territories, violent clashes erupted between protestants and Israeli forces across the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

The statement by the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc also described resistance as the only way for the Palestinians to recover their rights.

H.M