Trump Declares Al-Quds as Zionist Entity’s Capital
US President Donald Trump has officially declared the Palestinian city of al-Quds (Jerusalem) as Israel’s capital, despite warnings from around the world that the measure risks triggering a fresh wave of violence in the Middle East.
In a speech at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said his administration would also begin a process of moving the American embassy in Tel Aviv to the holy city, which is expected to take years.
“I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Trump said. “While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering.”
The announcement was a major shift by Washington that overturns decades of US foreign policy.
Trump’s decision was mostly aimed at pleasing his main supporters – Republican conservatives and evangelical Christian Zionists who comprise an important share of his voter base.
After the speech, Trump signed a 1995 law that requires Washington to move its embassy to Jerusalem. His predecessors, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, had consistently deferred that decision to avoid inflaming tensions in the region.
The entire Jerusalem al-Quds is currently under Israel’s control, while the regime also claims the city’s eastern part, which hosts the third holiest Muslim site.
The city has been designated as “occupied” under international law since the 1967 Arab War, which Palestinians want as the capital of their future state.
Trump had vowed during his presidential campaign that he would relocate the US embassy in order to court pro-Israel voters.
Palestinians have repeatedly warned Trump against such an action, saying it would deliver a death blow to any prospects of the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and fuel extremism in the region.
The Palestinian movement Hamas warned that such a move would seriously heighten regional tensions.
Rouhani Warns against US Embassy Relocation, Blasts Zionist Entity for Destabilizing Mideast
Earlier and before Trump’s announcement, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the US against relocating its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds, saying the “illegal” move would further destabilize Palestine and the region, according to Press T.V
During a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, Rouhani called on Islamic states to join hands in opposing the “dangerous” move by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Palestinian leaders have also warned that the potential relocation would fuel strong reaction in the region and deliver a death blow to any prospect of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Erdogan, in response, expressed concern over Trump’s pending announcement and said the American head of state’s “insolence” was due to the “internal discord” between the Islamic nations.
Warning that Washington’s move would “ratchet up tensions and lead to bad incidents,
‘Quds to keep Islamic, Arabic identity’
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Wednesday that Jerusalem al-Quds will always keep its Arab and Islamic identity.
The tweet, written in Arabic, Zarif took a jab at some regional countries for neglecting the issue of Palestine and funding terrorism and sectarianism.
Anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews Oppose Trump Decision
In the same context, the anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews have in a letter to the US President Donald Trump opposed his decision to recognize Al Quds as the Zionist regime’s capital by moving the US Embassy to the city.
Press TV/IRNA
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