Trump's Jerusalem move riles Palestinians

Palestinians burning the United States and Israeli flags in Gaza City yesterday in protest against US President Donald Trump's move to recognise the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Palestinians seethed with anger and a sense of betrayal after US President Donald Trump's move to recognise the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The city's status has been a stumbling block in decades of on-off Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

Israel considers Jerusalem its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all embassies to be based there. But Palestinians want the capital of an independent Palestinian state in the east of the city.

Global concern mounted yesterday over the US move that would also involve moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city, with many of Washington's allies warning against the dangerous repercussions of Mr Trump's decision.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, however, said yesterday that the President was "very committed" to the Middle East peace process.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 07, 2017, with the headline Trump's Jerusalem move riles Palestinians. Subscribe