Alwaght- Donald Trump's plans to relocate US embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem) and recognize the city as the capital of the Israeli regime has drawn global condemnations, with many leaders warning over dire repercussions of such a step.
Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that US recognition of al-Quds as the occupying regime's capital would be a “red line” for Muslims. He also warned such a move would make Ankara to cut its recently-restored relations with Tel Aviv.
“This could go as far as cutting our diplomatic relations with Israel. You cannot take such a step,” Erdogan told a parliamentary group meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party.
The Turkish president also said he would call for a meeting with the Organization for Islamic Cooperation to oppose any move recognizing al-Quds as Israel’s capital. He said the measure would not only be a violation of international law, but also “a big blow to the conscience of the humanity.”
Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag also said during a televised press conference on Monday “If the [current] status of Jerusalem is changed and another step is taken... that would be a major catastrophe AFP reported.
“It would completely destroy the fragile peace process in the region, and lead to new conflicts, new disputes and new unrest,” Bozdag warned.
Egypt and Jordan
The foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan, two countries that share borders with occupied Palestine, have already warned US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson against declaring al-Quds as the capital of Israeli regime, saying it could led to violence in the West Asia and a collapse of the so-called Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri told Tillerson on Sunday that al-Quds' historical and religious significance should lead to caution when dealing with the diplomatic status of the city, stating how important the issue is to the Palestinians, but also to the wider Arab and Muslim world.
Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi, with harsher rhetoric, also warned his American counterpart of "dangerous consequences of recognizing al-Quds as capital of Israel."
Such a decision would "trigger anger across the Arab and Muslim world, fuel tension and jeopardize peace efforts," Safadi told Tillerson.
Palestinian officials and factions
Over the weekend, senior Palestinian officials warned that US recognition relocation of its embassy would put an end to peace talks.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, talking to a group of Arab Israeli lawmakers, warned the White House earlier on Sunday that the move would jeopardize the administration’s nascent peace efforts in the Mideast.
“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,” Mahmoud Abbas told on Sunday.
President's remarks came one day after his spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeinah, said that such a step is a dangerous development that would destabilize the region.
“East al-Quds, with its holy places, is the beginning and the end of any solution and any project that saves the region from destruction,” Rudeinah's Saturday's statement red.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Maliki on Sunday called on the Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene to discuss Trump's potential measure.
Al-Maliki warned that such a US move “would have grave consequences” and would “blow up the situation in the Palestinian territories and the region”.
Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas said in a statement on Saturday such a step “would represent a US assault on the city and give legitimacy to [Israel] over the city”.
The movement called for an Intifada (popular uprising) to thwart such a "conspiracy," adding it “would give a cover to Israel to pursue the Judaization of al-Quds and expulsion of the Palestinians from the city.”
Arab League
Touching on highly controversial decision by Donald Trump, head of the Arab League, Ahmed Abul Gheit, told on Sunday “It is unfortunate that some are insisting on carrying out this step without any regard to the dangers it carries to the stability of the Middle East and the whole world,”
“Nothing justifies this act… it will not serve peace or stability, instead it will nourish fanaticism and violence,” Abul Gheit said addressing reporters in Cairo.
He added that the Arab League is closely following the issue and is in contact with the Palestinian authorities and Arab states to coordinate the Arab position if Trump takes the step.
Arab League is a regional organization of 22 Arab countries.
France
French President Emmanuel Macron told President Donald Trump that he is concerned about the possibility that the US might unilaterally recognize al-Quds as the capital of Israeli regime.
In a phone call on Monday, Macron “reaffirmed that the status of Jerusalem (al-Quds) must be resolved through peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians,” France’s embassy to the US said in a statement.
Jerusalem (Al-Quds) Embassy Act
According to the so-called Jerusalem Embassy Act , passed in October 1995, government should relocate the Embassy of the US in Israel from Tel Aviv to al-Quds. The act also called for al-Quds to remain an undivided city and for it to be recognized as the capital of occupying Israeli regime.
Since passage, the law has never been implemented, because of opposition from Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama.
Trump had vowed during his presidential campaign that he would implement the provocative law, but in early June he extended suspension of implementation of the Congress law for additional six months.
Monday was the legal deadline for signing a presidential waiver whether or not to move the Embassy. However, A White House spokesperson said that "no action will be taken on the waiver today. We will share a decision on the waiver in the coming days."
Theoretically, the White House's announcement allows Congress to demand the administration to begin moving the embassy, since Trump did not sign the presidential waiver in time. Congress could also cut funding from the State Department if the administration doesn't fulfill its' obligations under the 1995 "Jerusalem Embassy Act."
