World leaders chastise US over Jerusalem ‘escalation’

US President Donald Trump’s resolution to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital has been met with indignation by world leaders, drawing true criticism in the Center East and in other places.

Many certainly feel Washington’s transfer, announced on Wednesday after weeks of speculation, threatens to upend balance across the placement and ruin any closing possibilities to enact peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

The US also intends to transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Trump confirmed in his televised address.

Here is how head of states and senior officials reacted to Trump’s announcement.

Mahmoud Abass, Palestinian Authority President, lambasted the US’ resolution and acknowledged Jerusalem is the « eternal capital of the Explain of Palestine ».

« The resolution by President Trump will no longer commerce the true fact of the metropolis of Jerusalem and will possess to no longer give any legitimacy to the Israelis on this direct, » he told journalists in a televised address.

Abass labelled the resolution a « reward to Israel », including that Trump’s transfer impressed Israel’s « continuing occupation » of the Palestinian territories.

Michel Aoun, Lebanon’s president, stated the US resolution threatened the peace project and balance in the broader Center East.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri stated on his Twitter anecdote that Lebanon deplores and rejects Trump’s resolution. 

Expressing solidarity with the Palestinian folks, « [Lebanon announces] their [Palestinian’s] correct to the advent of an unprejudiced sigh whose capital is Jerusalem, » he added.

Jordan, in the meantime, considered the resolution as unlawful since it « consolidates the Israeli occupation » of East Jerusalem.

« The resolution, which pre-empts the implications of ultimate plot negotiations, fuels inflame and inflames the passions of Muslims and Christians for the length of the Arab and Muslim worlds, » Mohammad al-Momani, spokesperson for the Jordanian executive, stated in an announcement.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem at the discontinue of the 1967 War with Syria, Egypt and Jordan, placing your complete metropolis below de-factor Israeli control. The worldwide community, on the replace hand, has by no procedure recognised Israel’s claims to all of Jerusalem.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s international minister, stated Trump’s resolution used to be a « death sentence » for all who look peace and « a harmful escalation ».

The plot of Jerusalem is indubitably one of basically the most contentious components in the battle and has historically been relegated to final plot negotiations.

Palestinians desire East Jerusalem as the capital of a future sigh and Israelis insisting that the metropolis is its « unified » and indivisible capital.

Saudi Arabia stated the transfer used to be a « contradiction to immutable global resolutions that emphasise the rights of the Palestinian Folks to Jerusalem », in an announcement made by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Egypt condemned the resolution, asserting such « unilateral steps opposite to global agreements will no longer commerce the legal plot of Jerusalem because it is below occupation », in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs assertion.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed « profound remorse » following Trump’s announcement. The transfer broke UN resolutions on « affirming the political, historic, legal and humanitarian plot quo in Jerusalem », a ministry assertion carried by Kuwait’s KUNA news company stated.  

Emmanuel Macron, French president, stated on Twitter that Paris « doesn’t approve of the resolution » and « supports the 2-sigh solution, Israel and Palestine, residing in peace and safety, with Jerusalem as the capital of the 2 states ».

Sur Jérusalem, la France n’approuve pas la décision des États-Unis. La France soutient la solution de deux États, Israël et la Palestine, vivant en paix et en sécurité, avec Jérusalem comme capitale des deux États. Nous devons privilégier l’apaisement et le dialogue.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 6, 2017

Bahrain stated the transfer « threatens the peace project in the Center East and impedes all initiatives and negotiations to reach the hoped final solution », in a assertion made by the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the meantime, Pakistan stated it « eminent with grave topic » the US resolution, which alters « the legal and historic plot of the metropolis ».

« This kind of step would characterize a clear violation of global regulations and UN Safety Council resolutions, » the Pakistani top minister’s place of job stated in an announcement.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniya has described Trump’s resolution as a « flagrant aggression ».

« This resolution is an uncalculated gamble that might know no limit to the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim reaction, » he told Al Jazeera from Gaza.

« We demand stopping this resolution fully because this will likely herald the initiating of a time of dreadful transformations, no longer valid on the Palestinian level but on the placement as a total. This resolution procedure the good announcement of the discontinue of the peace project. »

The Iranian executive in Tehran stated Trump’s resolution would « provoke Muslims and inflame a brand new intifada ».

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated « conserving the new plot of Jerusalem is a in point of fact powerful and it is a necessity that the Islamic world act as one ».

Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, including occupied Palestinian territory, is a reckless possibility to peace. The British Govt need to condemn this harmful act and work for a loyal and viable settlement of the battle.

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 6, 2017

United Countries Secretary-Total Antonio Guterres stated Jerusalem remains a « final plot direct that need to be resolved by whisper negotiations between the 2 parties ».

« There might be no replace to the 2-sigh solution, » he stated in an announcement to journalists.

Federica Mogherini, high representative of the European Union, stated the bloc has « serious topic about this day’s announcement by the usa President Trump on Jerusalem and the repercussions this is in a position to perchance furthermore possess on the prospect of peace ».

UK Prime Minister Theresa Could also disagreed with Trump’s resolution. 

« We judge it is unhelpful by possibilities for peace in the placement … The British Embassy to Israel is primarily primarily based in Tel Aviv and we invent no longer possess any plans to transfer it, » she stated in an announcement to journalists. 

Jeremy Corbyn, chief of UK’s Labour occasion, known as Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem is « a reckless possibility to peace ».

« The British Govt need to condemn this harmful act and work for a loyal and viable settlement of the battle, » he stated in a put up on Twitter.

Head of Hamas in the diaspora, Dr Maher Salah warned of « excessive repercussions » for the length of the Arab world following Trump’s assertion. 

« Here’s an illegitimate and in dejected health-told resolution, which contradicts global legal guidelines and resolutions, and violates the sanctity of the holy metropolis of Jerusalem, » he stated in an announcement to journalists.

« This might continuously be a Palestinian, an Arab and an Islamic metropolis, » he added.

Hamas will enhance Palestinian efforts to « liberate their fatherland and build their unprejudiced sigh with Jerusalem as its capital », he stated.

Tunisian labour union UGTT stated the resolution used to be a « declaration of warfare » and known as for mass protests, while Trita Parsi, president of the Nationwide Iranian American Council, described it as the « mother of all boring strikes ».

The reaction used to be markedly various from Israeli leaders, on the replace hand.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli top minister, stated it used to be « a historic day » for the country.

Jerusalem « has been the capital of Israel for almost 70 years, » he stated in an announcement.

« Jerusalem has been the focal level of our hopes, our dreams, our prayers for three millennia. Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish folks for three,000 years. »

Reuven Rivlin, Israel’s president, also welcomed Trump’s announcement, asserting « there just isn’t any extra becoming or dazzling present, as we means 70 years of the Explain of Israel’s independence ».

He added: « The recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and the relocation of all embassies to the metropolis, is a landmark in the recognition of the estimable of the Jewish folks to our land. »

But Raed Jarrar, Amnesty International USA’s Center East advocacy director, stated no « country in the enviornment recognises Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem, making the resolution to confer US recognition deeply troubling ».

« No longer handiest does this resolution contribute to undermining the worldwide rule of regulations, it also displays a total brush apart for mass human rights violations that Palestinians are going by as a results of Israel’s annexation policies. »