President Trump told Middle East leaders Tuesday that he plans to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and eventually relocate the๐ US embassy there from Tel Aviv๐ฌ despite fierce Mideast opposition.
The State Department alerted outposts worldwide to heighten security over fears ๐the presidentโs decision could spark violence against US embassies and diplomatic staff.
Administration officials said it could take years for a new US embassy to be built in Jerusalem.
โIt does not mean that the embassy will move tomorrow,โ said one official. There is no facility that they can move into . . . As a practical matter, no embassy is constructed today in shorter than three or four year๐
s.โ
Trump reached out to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, King Abdullah of Jordan; Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Saudi Arabian King Salman bin ๐Abdulaziz and informed them of his decision, which i๊ฆฐs expected to be announced Wednesday.
The US has never before endorsed the Jewish stateโs claim of sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem and has insisted its status be resolved through Israeli-Palestinian๐ฐ negotiation.
Abbas, according to a spokesman, โwarned of the dangerous consequences Trumpโs decision would have to the peace process and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world.โ
Abdullah urged Trump to abandon the move๐ฐ, saying โJerusalem is the key to achieving peace and stability in the region and the world.โ
Palestinian militant groupโ Hamas warned of an new uprising against Israel, while Abbassโ Fatah movement called for protests beginni๐ng Wednesday.
The State Department delivered the seโ cur๐ฏity warning in classified cables over the past week, as Arab leaders raised the fear of violence if Trump goes through with his plan, Politico reported.
Earlier Tuesday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan threaten๐บed to cut diplomatic ties with the Jewish state, and Saudi Arabia warned the move would have โnegative implications๊ง โ on peace efforts.
Administration officials insisted the peace pro๐cess wou๐ldnโt be derailed by Trumpโs announcement.
โWe are 22 years in and it seems clear now that the physical locat๐ion of the embassy . . . itโs not a facilitator of peace,โ saเนid one official.
With Wires