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UPDATE: Trump Declares Jerusalem Israeli Capital, Smashing US Policy

The president has announced that the U.S. is officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, fulfilling a campaign promise while unsettling volatile politics in the region

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THE LATEST on President Donald Trump's decision on recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital (all times local):

6:25 p.m.

Australia's foreign minister says she is concerned that the U.S. decision to move its Israel embassy to Jerusalem will increase tensions with the Palestinians.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop tells the Australian Broadcasting Corporation she's "concerned by any unilateral action by either side which could add to tensions."

She adds, "The Australian government remains committed and optimistic that the way to achieve enduring peace between the Israelis and Palestinians is a negotiated two-state solution."

She says Australia doesn't intend to shift its embassy from Tel Aviv.

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5:35 p.m.

Eight countries opposed to President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital have asked for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council this week.

Sweden's U.N. Mission says the eight nations have asked Japan, this month's council president, to have Secretary-General Antonio Guterres brief the 15 council members.

The eight council nations that requested the meeting are Bolivia, Egypt, France, Italy, Senegal, Sweden, United Kingdom and Uruguay.

Guterres said after Trump's announcement that the issue must be resolved through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and warned that "unilateral measures" can jeopardize prospects for peace.

In a resolution adopted last December the council said it "will not recognize any changes to the June 4, 1967, lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations."

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4 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is opposing U.S. President Donald Trump's decision on recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

In a tweet Wednesday directed at Trump, Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert quotes Merkel saying, "The German government doesn't support this stance, because the status of Jerusalem must be negotiated within the framework of a two-state solution."

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3:50 p.m.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition doesn't automatically make Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

Cavusoglu said Wednesday in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, that "with one announcement by a country, Jerusalem cannot be the capital of Israel."

Cavusoglu adds, "You can't come out and say, ‘I'm a great power, I can do what I want.'

"There can be no understanding under which one can say I made such an announcement and it will become reality," Cavusoglu insists.

He says "the whole world opposes it and it is wrong."

Cavusoglu also describes Trump's move as a "dangerous step," adding, "we would have wished that this decision were never taken."

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3:45 p.m.

U.S. ally Jordan has slammed President Donald Trump's recognition of contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying it stokes anger in the region and violates U.S. resolutions.

The pro-Western kingdom has a special stake in the city whose Israeli-annexed eastern sector is sought by the Palestinians as a future capital.

Jordan has a large population of Palestinian origin and Jordan's King Abdullah II serves as guardian of the third holiest site of Islam, located in east Jerusalem.

The monarch is to meet Thursday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan to coordinate a response.

Government spokesman Mohammed Momani said Wednesday that Trump's announcement on Jerusalem pre-empts the outcome of future peace negotiations, "fuels anger and provokes the feelings of Muslims and Christians."

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3:40 p.m.

The European Union says it has "serious concern" about the impact of the U.S. President Donald Trump's decision on recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital on the future of the peace process.

The EU said Wednesday its position "remains unchanged" and wants the status of Jerusalem "as the future capital of both states" to be settled through negotiations.

The 28-nation EU called for restraint and calm to stave off any escalation.

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Photo via Twitter @QueensIceZ
Dozens of angry youths burned tires in spontaneous protests at several locations Wednesday after Trump's declaration.

3:30 p.m.

Palestinians have taken to the streets in the Gaza Strip to protest the decision by President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Dozens of angry youths burned tires in spontaneous protests at several locations Wednesday after Trump's declaration.

The Islamic militant group Hamas has called for more protests over the coming days. Hamas controls Gaza, and the U.S. and the European Union consider it a terrorist organization

Trump's announcement breaks with decades of U.S. foreign policy.

It brought warnings from leaders in the Mideast and elsewhere that the move could inflame tensions in the volatile Mideast and complicate Mideast peace efforts.

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3:05 p.m.

U.S. embassies in the Middle East and Europe are warning Americans traveling or living there of the potential for violent protests after President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Within minutes of Trump's announcement, the embassies in Turkey, Jordan, Germany and Britain issued security alerts urging Americans to exercise vigilance and caution. Other embassies are expected to follow suit.

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara says it expects protests to take place near its location as well as the consulates in Istanbul and Adana.

The U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, says it would close to the public on Thursday and has banned employees from leaving the capital. The children of embassy employees have been told to stay home from school and all Americans there are advised to keep a low profile.

U.S. Embassies in Berlin, London and Minsk, Belarus issued identical warnings.

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3 p.m.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says President Donald Trump made a "bold move" by implementing a U.S. law that has long called for the American Embassy in Israel to move to Jerusalem.

Tillerson is in Germany for a brief stop and made the comment as he met with U.S. military commanders. Earlier in the day, Trump said he was recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Tillerson says planning for a Jerusalem embassy will start immediately — and that includes picking a site. But he says building the embassy will take time.

There's opposition in the Arab world to Trump's decision, and Tillerson says the State Department has taken necessary precautions to ensure the safety of U.S. personnel in the region.

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2:35 p.m.

Egypt has denounced President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state.

Egypt was the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel — that came in 1979.

A Foreign Ministry statement says Trump’s decision is a violation of international resolutions on the city’s status.

The statement says Egypt is worried about the impact of the U.S. move on the stability of the region and about its “extremely negative” impact on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

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2:30 p.m.

The Palestinian leader says President Donald Trump has destroyed his credibility as a Mideast peace broker after recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Mahmoud Abbas (mahk-MOOD’ ah-BAHS’) says in a televised statement that Trump’s decision “is a declaration of withdrawal from the role it has played in the peace process.”

Trump’s Mideast peace team has held months of meetings with Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders for nearly a year ahead of an expected peace proposal.

By recognizing Israel’s claim to Jerusalem, Trump is seen by the Palestinians as siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the conflict. The Palestinians seek east Jerusalem — which Israel captured in 1967 — for their capital.

Abbas says the Palestinian leadership will meet in the coming days and consult with Arab leaders to formulate a response.

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2:15 p.m.

France’s leader says President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is “a regrettable decision that France does not approve.”

Emmanuel Macron says Trump’s decision “contravenes international law and U.N. Security Council resolutions.”

Macron also says the status of Jerusalem “will have to be determined by Israelis and Palestinians in negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations.”

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2:10 p.m.

An adviser to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas (mahk-MOOD’ ah-BAHS’) says President Donald Trump’s announcement on Jerusalem has “isolated the U.S. from any role in the peace process.”

Nabil Shaath says Trump’s speech “gave Israel what it wants and gave us nothing.”

The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as their capital. It was captured by Israel in 1967.

Trump has recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, while paying little recognition to the Palestinian claim to the eastern part of the city.

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2 p.m.

Hundreds of people in Turkey are staging demonstrations near U.S. diplomatic missions in Ankara and Istanbul.

The demonstrations came after President Donald Trump announced that the United States now recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

And Turkey’s foreign minister has condemned what he says is an “irresponsible” decision by Trump.

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1:50 p.m.

The head of the Islamic militant group Hamas is accusing President Donald Trump of disregarding Palestinian feelings with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Ismail Haniyeh says in a statement that the Palestinian people "know how to respond properly to the disregard of their feelings and sanctuaries."

He says the decision "will not change the facts of history and geography."

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the U.S. and other Western allies.

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President Donald Trump said previous presidents have “failed to deliver” on pledges to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

1:45 p.m.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (goo-TEHR'-esh) is speaking out against what he says are "unilateral measures" that jeopardize the prospect for peace for Israelis and Palestinians.

He's speaking after President Donald Trump's announcement that the United States now recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

But the U.N. leader says the issue of Jerusalem must be resolved through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

Guterres tells reporters that "in this moment of great anxiety, I want to make it clear: there is no alternative to the two-state solution. There is no Plan B."

The U.N. chief never mentioned Trump's decision in his remarks.

Guterres says he'll do "everything in my power" to promote the return to negotiations by Israeli and Palestinian leaders "and to realize this vision of a lasting peace for both people."

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1:35 p.m.

Israel's prime minister calls it a "historic day" — following President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH'-hoo) says in a statement that Israel is "profoundly grateful" and that Trump's announcement is an "important step toward peace."

The Israeli leader says his country "will continue to work with the president and his team to make that dream of peace come true.′

Trump is pledging to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, and Netanyahu is urging other countries to follow suit.

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1:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he's directing the State Department to begin preparations to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Trump says the move would allow the department to begin hiring architects and making other plans. Trump says the move is "a recognition of reality."

The move breaks with decades of U.S. foreign policy. And the president is defying warnings from global leaders that it would it more difficult to achieve a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians.

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1:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump is trying to make the case that his decision about recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital is "long overdue" and will advance the Mideast peace process.

Trump says he intends to do "everything" in his power "to help forge" a peace deal.

Trump is also acknowledging that "there will of course be disagree and dissident" over the moves, including relocating the American Embassy from Tel Aviv.

But he's calling for calm in response to his announcement.

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1:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump has announced that the United States now recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. It's a move that upends decades of U.S. policy.

He says in a White House speech that he's "determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Trump says he's deemed this change to be in America's interests.

The president says the decision "marks the beginning of a new approach to conflict between Israel and the Palestinians."

World leaders have warned that the move could inflame tensions in the volatile Mideast.

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1:10 p.m.

The Jerusalem municipality has illuminated the walls of the Old City red, white and blue to show thanks to President Trump's recognition of it as Israel's capital.

Mayor Nir Barkat says the main entrance to the city will also be lit in America's colors and American flags will be flown across major streets of the city on Thursday.

Barkat says Trump's announcement "sends a clear message to the entire world" that the United States stands with Israel and the Jewish people.

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Twitter reactions:

 

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Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Jerusalem

“I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” President Trump said in an address from the White House on Wednesday afternoon.

The move fulfills a campaign promise while threatening to unsettle volatile politics in the region.

Trump said previous presidents have “failed to deliver” on pledges to acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “I am delivering,” he said, in a speech that began shortly after 1 p.m. ET.

Jerusalem is claimed by as a capital city by both Israelis and Palestinians, and determining the status of the city would be a central element of any possible peace agreement.

For decades, world powers — including the U.S. — have refrained from taking sides in that dispute, locating their embassies in Tel Aviv and avoiding any reference to Jerusalem as a part of Israel.

In 1995, Congress passed a law calling for the U.S. to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and for the embassy to be moved to Jerusalem. But every president since then has chosen to waive that law, putting off implementation six months at a time.

The White House said Trump would be signing a waiver again this week, but that it would be paired with an announcement that essentially endorses the Israeli position on Jerusalem.

As The Two-Way reported yesterday:

“Moving the embassy was one of Trump’s campaign promises as he appealed to pro-Israel voters, including many American evangelicals.

“The White House insists the Jerusalem policy change does not lessen the chances for reaching peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Officials said regional leaders contacted before the decision were committed to encouraging a peaceful solution. But the administration also took precautions.

“The State Department issued warnings to diplomats in the region that protests could break out in the region following a change in policy on Jerusalem.”

The decision “does not sit well with many key players in the region,” as NPR’s Scott Neuman wrote this morning:

“Jordan’s King Abdullah reportedly told the president that the expected decision will have ‘dangerous repercussions on the stability and security of the region,’ according to a palace statement.

“Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who spoke by telephone with Trump, warned of ‘the dangerous consequences such a decision would have to the peace process and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world,’ Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said in a statement, according to Al-Jazeera.

“That was a sentiment echoed by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who cautioned that it ‘would undermine the chances of peace in the Middle East.’

“In a fiery televised speech on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Trump by name that the move constituted a ‘red line’ for Muslims.

” ‘We could go as far as cutting diplomatic ties with Israel over the issue,’ Erdogan said.”

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Updated at 10:25 a.m. ET

President Trump’s plan to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and begin the process to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has prompted warnings of violence and concern that the move will scuttle any chance at advancing peace efforts.

Since 1995, when Congress passed a law ordering the U.S. Embassy to be moved to Jerusalem, successive presidents have issued a series of six-month waivers to forestall the move. While Trump is expected to sign another six-month waiver, he is asking the State Department to begin laying the groundwork for a shift to Tel Aviv.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump promised to allow the embassy to be moved, and on Monday, he allowed a deadline for the next waiver to expire. The White House told reporters on Tuesday that the president would officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital in a speech on Wednesday. The actual establishment of a U.S. Embassy compound in Jerusalem would likely take years.

“The status of Jerusalem is probably the most combustible issue in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” NPR’s Larry Kaplow and Camila Domonoske have reported. “The city is sacred in Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Disputes there have prompted violence and protests not just in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories but around the Middle East.”

The White House said Tuesday that Trump’s decision was a “recognition of reality.” The move is good news for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has long lobbied for it. However, it does not sit well with many key players in the region.

Jordan’s King Abdullah reportedly told the president that the expected decision will have “dangerous repercussions on the stability and security of the region,” according to a palace statement.

Mahmud Hams /AFP/Getty Images
Palestinian protesters burn U.S. and Israeli flags in Gaza City on Wednesday. President Trump is set to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, upending decades of U.S. policy and ignoring dire warnings from allies.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who spoke by telephone with Trump, warned of “the dangerous consequences such a decision would have to the peace process and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world,” Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said in a statement, according to Al-Jazeera.

That was a sentiment echoed by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who cautioned that it “would undermine the chances of peace in the Middle East.”

In a fiery televised speech on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Trump by name that the move constituted a “red line” for Muslims.

“We could go as far as cutting diplomatic ties with Israel over the issue,” Erdogan said.

The Organization for Islamic Cooperation said Monday that such decision from the U.S. would amount to “naked aggression” against Arab and Muslim peoples.

Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, the head of the Arab League, urged the U.S. to reconsider any recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, warning of “repercussions,” according to The Associated Press.

The Syrian government condemned the White House move, according to the SANA news agency.

Among Washington’s European allies, the tone was more one of concern.

Speaking in a telephone call to Trump on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that Jerusalem’s status should be resolved as part of a two-state solution that would result in “Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Jerusalem as their capital,” according to a statement put out by France’s Foreign Ministry.

The U.K. foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said it was too soon to comment definitively on the expected U.S. move. “Let’s wait and see what the president says exactly, but we view the reports that we’ve heard with concern,” he said.

Meanwhile, the German Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning to its citizens stating: “From December 6, 2017, there may be demonstrations in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Violent clashes can not be ruled out.”

The Vatican issued a statement from Pope Francis urging the status quo for Jerusalem and calling for “wisdom and prudence” to avoid bloodshed.

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