World, bar Israel, condemns Trump Jerusalem announcement
7/12/17
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A woman holds a sign during a demonstration against the U.S. and Israel at Fatih Mosque in Istanbul on December 6, 2017 |
Merkel, Macron and May have raised their
voices over Trump's latest move.
Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem
as Israel's capital has
drawn sharp criticism, with the significant exception of Israel.
Here are key reactions from around the world:
Israel salutes 'historic'
day
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump's
recognition as "historic" and a "courageous and just
decision".
Netanyahu also pledged no change to the status quo at Jerusalem's highly
sensitive holy sites in the city, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims.
No longer a peace
broker
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said the U.S. could no
longer play the role of peace broker after Trump's decision.
"These deplorable and unacceptable measures
deliberately undermine all peace efforts," Abbas said in a speech.
'Destroys two-state
solution'
The secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation
Organisation said Trump had destroyed any hopes for a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"He destroyed the two-state solution," Saeb
Erekat, who long served as the Palestinians' top negotiator, told journalists.
'Open gates of hell'
Hamas said Trump's decision would "open the gates of
hell" on U.S.
interests in the region.
"This decision will open the gates of hell on U.S. interests
in the region," Ismail Radwan, an official with the Palestinian Islamist
movement that runs the Gaza Strip, told journalists.
'Unjustified and
irresponsible'
Saudi
Arabia slammed Trump's move as "unjustified and
irresponsible" and said the decision goes against the "historical and
permanent rights of the Palestinian people".
"The kingdom has
already warned of the serious consequences of such an unjustified and
irresponsible move," said a Saudi royal court statement carried by the
officialSaudi Press Agency.
'New intifada'
Iran condemned the U.S. move, saying it threatened a "new
intifada", or uprising, against Israel.
"The provocative and unwise decision by the US will provoke
Muslims and inflame a new intifada and an escalation of radical, angry and
violent behaviour," the foreign ministry said on its website.
U.N. against
'unilateral measures'
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres implicitly
criticized Trump's announcement, warning that Jerusalem's status must be resolved through
direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
"From day one as secretary general of the United
Nations, I have consistently spoken out against any unilateral measures that
would jeopardize the prospect of peace for Israelis and Palestinians,"
Guterres said.
'Palestinian cause'
The office of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad dismissed
Trump's move, saying in a statement it would not dim the "Palestinian
cause".
"The future of Jerusalem
is not set by a state or a president, but by its history, will, and the
determination of those loyal to the Palestinian cause which will stay alive in
the conscience of the Arab homeland until the establishment of a Palestinian
state with Jerusalem
as its capital," it said.
'Rejected by Arab
world'
Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad
Hariri vowed his country's "highest degrees of solidarity with the
Palestinian people and its right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its
capital".
"The American decision to recognize Jerusalem
as the capital of Israel
and to move the embassy there is a step that is rejected by the Arab world and
risks spilling dangers over into the region," he said.
'Violation of
international law'
Jordan condemned Trump's
recognition of Jerusalem
as amounting to a violation of international law and the U.N. charter.
"The decision of the American president to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's
capital and the transfer of the U.S.
embassy to this city constitutes a violation of decisions of international law
and the United Nations charter," said government spokesman Mohammed
Momani.
Indonesia summons U.S. ambassador
Indonesian president Joko Widodo, who leads the world's
biggest Muslim-majority country, said he "condemned" Trump's decision
on Jerusalem, and ordered the U.S. ambassador in Jakarta to be summoned over the move.
"Indonesia
strongly condemns the United States'
one-sided recognition of Jerusalem as the
capital of Israel and asks
the U.S.
to reconsider this decision," Widodo said in televised remarks.
'Irresponsible,
illegal'
Turkey also slammed Trump's Jerusalem announcement.
"We condemn the irresponsible statement of the US
administration... the decision is against international law and relevant UN
resolutions," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote on Twitter.
'Unhelpful for peace'
Prime Minister Theresa May said the British government
disagreed with Trump's decision, saying it was "unhelpful" for peace
efforts.
"We disagree with the US
decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and
recognise Jerusalem
as the Israeli capital," she said in a statement. "We believe it is
unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region".
'Avoid violence'
French President Emmanuel Macron branded Trump's stance as
"regrettable" and called for efforts to "avoid violence at all
costs".
Macron affirmed "the attachment of France and Europe to the two-state solution, Israel and Palestine
living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognized
borders, with Jerusalem
as the capital of the two states".
Merkel 'does not
support'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said through her spokesman
that she "does not support" Trump's reversal of decades of U.S. policy.
"The status of Jerusalem
can only be negotiated within the framework of a two-state solution," spokesman
Steffen Seibert wrote on Twitter.
'Serious concern'
The European Union's chief diplomat Federica Mogherini
voiced "serious concern" at Trump's new stance on Jerusalem.
"The aspirations of both parties must be fulfilled
and a way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future
capital of both states," Mogherini said, referring to Israelis and
Palestinians.
All comments [ 5 ]
Jerusalem's status quo must be respected
the U.S. could no longer play the role of peace broker after Trump's decision
The whole world condemns the irresponsible statement of the US administration
I believe it is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region
Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the state of Palestine
Your comments