Abbas warns Trump against recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital
Mahmoud Abbas has warned the US against recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital, claiming it would jeopardise Mideast peace efforts.
The Palestinian president’s comments are part of a diplomatic push to rally international support against the touted move by Washington.
"Any American step related to the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel, or moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, represents a threat to the future of the peace process and is unacceptable for the Palestinians, Arabs and internationally," Abbas said on Sunday, according to the official Wafa news agency.
US officials have said President Donald Trump may recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital this week as a way to offset delaying his campaign promise to move the US embassy there.
Although Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital, and boasts many government buildings there, including the prime minister's office, the international community says the city's future must be part of a peace deal. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in 1967, as their capital.
Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdeneh, said the Palestinian leader had been in contact with leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and France to rally support.
"We believe that such an American step, if it takes place, will enter the region in a new course, and a dangerous phase whose results cannot be controlled," he said.
Trump's adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has held months of meetings with leaders across the region as part of a future peace initiative.
Kushner said Sunday that Trump has not yet decided whether to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital or whether to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city straight away
"He is still looking at a lot of different facts," Kushner said at the Saban Forum, an annual Mideast policy conference in Washington.