Trump May Recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital: Kushner

Kushner’s efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have, so far, shown little progress.

Jerusalem’s Old City seen through a door with the shape of the Star of David. Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: AP)

US President Donald Trump has not yet made a decision on whether to formally recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, his adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner said on 3 December, a move that would break with decades of US policy and could fuel violence in the Middle East.

He’s still looking at a lot of different facts, and then when he makes his decision, he’ll be the one to want to tell you, not me.

Jared Kushner, Adviser to US President Donald Trump

Kushner said at an annual conference on US policy in the Middle East organised by the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington.

A senior administration official said last week that Trump could make the announcement on 6 December.

Kushner is leading Trump's efforts to restart long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, efforts that so far have shown little progress.

Past US presidents have insisted that the status of Jerusalem – home to sites holy to the Jewish, Muslim and Christian religions – must be decided in negotiations.

The Palestinians want Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and the international community does not recognise Israel’s claim on all of the city. Any move by the United States to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would fuel extremism and violence, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on 2 December.

A senior Jordanian source said on 3 December that Amman, the current president of the Arab summit, has begun consultations on convening an emergency meeting of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation before Trump's expected declaration this week.

(This article has been published in an arrangement with Reuters)

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