ROME Dec 07 (TNS): Foreign leaders warned Donald Trump that his plans to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday and relocate the US embassy to the holy city threatened to escalate tensions in the region and undermine efforts to broker peace.
Trump’s move would reverse decades of American policy in the Middle East and upset traditional US allies in the region.
Pope Francis took indirect aim at Mr Trump’s plans on Wednesday, adding his voice to warnings by Arab and Muslim leaders that recognizing Jerusalem as the Israeli capital would have dangerous repercussions. “I cannot hide my deep concern for the situation that has been created in the last few days, and at the same time, I offer a heartfelt appeal for the commitment of all to respect the status quo of the city in conformity with the pertinent UN resolutions,” Pope Francis said.
“Jerusalem is a unique city, which is sacred for Jews, Christians and Muslims, who venerate the holy sites of their respective religions, and has a special vocation for peace.” The Pope, who has spoken to Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, in recent days, said that he prayed for “wisdom and prudence” to prevail to avoid “new elements of tension in a world already convulsed and marked by many cruel conflicts”.
The status of the divided city is hugely delicate and its fate is one of the thorniest issues of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Israel regards Jerusalem as its undivided capital and claims sovereignty over the whole city. But the international community views East Jerusalem as occupied land and the Palestinians consider it their future capital. No nation has an embassy in Jerusalem. The international community’s position has long been that Jerusalem’s status should be determined by peace talks.
Boris Johnson, the UK’s foreign secretary, said Britain viewed “the reports that we have heard with concern because we think that Jerusalem obviously should be part of the final settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, a negotiated settlement that we want to see”.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to host an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation next week to discuss the issue, his spokesman said. Mr Erdogan on Tuesday said the status of Jerusalem was a “red line” for the Muslim world and warned that Turkey, a Nato member, could “go as far as cutting ties with Israel”.
Mr Trump informed Mr Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah on Tuesday of his plans to move the US mission. Both warned the US president the decision would have “dangerous” consequences for the stability of the Middle East.
US allies have publicly warned about the dangers of recognising Jerusalem. Saudi Arabia, which does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, but is widely believed to be moving closer to Israel, added its voice to regional concerns. “The recognition will have serious implications and will be provocative to all Muslims,” the Saudi state news agency quoted an unnamed foreign ministry official as saying.
A city divided Few other cities have fuelled such passion and conflict as Jerusalem, writes Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem. It has been revered for centuries by Christians, Jews and Muslims and its status has been one of the most sensitive issues in failed efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel regards Jerusalem as its undivided capital, citing the city’s centrality to the Jewish people for 3,000 years. But the Palestinians consider East Jerusalem their future capital. Under the 1947 UN partition plan for Palestine, the city was to remain an international zone. But after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, Jerusalem’s western half fell under Israeli control and its eastern half was controlled by Jordan.
Israel’s parliament relocated to Jerusalem a year later, but most foreign governments have avoided recognising Israeli sovereignty over any part of the city. Foreign embassies are all located in Tel Aviv. Israel seized control of East Jerusalem from Jordan during the 1967 six-day war, and annexed it — a move never recognised by the international community.
The Old City is home to the holiest Jewish site, referred to by Jews as the Temple Mount, where two ancient Jewish temples once stood. Muslims refer to that same walled compound as the Noble Sanctuary, the third holiest site in Islam. Today it is home to al-Aqsa mosque and the iconic Dome of the Rock. The golden Dome of the Rock has become an icon of Palestinian nationalism and a symbol of the city’s Arab and Muslim character. Perceived Israeli infringements on Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem have precipitated three waves of Palestinian anger — in 1996, 2000 and 2015. For Christians, Jerusalem is the site of Jesus’s crucifixion. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre marks the spot where Christians traditionally believe it took place.
