Saudi Arabia warns against US embassy move to Jerusalem

By Ahmed al-Masri

DOHA, Qatar (AA) - Saudi Arabia on Tuesday warned against U.S. plans to relocate the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and formally recognize the city as Israel’s capital, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted a ministry source who voiced the kingdom’s “deep concern over media reports that the U.S. administration intends to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate its embassy to Jerusalem”.

According to the same source, the move -- if taken -- would violate “international resolutions emphasizing the historical right of the Palestinian people to Jerusalem, which cannot be changed”.

The source added that the embassy’s relocation would serve to “complicate the Palestinian-Israeli conflict” and “provoke the sentiments of Muslims worldwide”.

The source went on to urge Washington to consider the “negative” consequences of the embassy’s relocation, underlining Saudi Arabia’s opposition to the move.

Last week, the U.S. media reported that U.S. President Donald Trump was mulling the imminent relocation of the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the formal recognition of the city as Israel’s capital.

Jerusalem remains at the core of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- currently occupied by Israel -- might eventually serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

During his election campaign last year, Trump repeatedly promised to relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.