US to transfer embassy to Jerusalem, Trump tells Abbas

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday informed his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas of his intention to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Palestine's official WAFA news agency has reported.

WAFA quoted Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, as saying that Abbas had received a phone call from Trump who informed him of Washington’s intention to move the embassy.

Abbas, for his part, warned Trump against what he described as "the serious consequence of such a move on the Middle East peace process and on regional and global peace and security".

"The president reiterated his demand for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital in line with international resolutions and the [2002] Arab Peace Initiative," Abu Rudeineh was quoted as saying.

Earlier Tuesday, Ahmed Majdalani, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)’s Executive Committee, told Anadolu Agency that Abbas had discussed the planned embassy relocation with Trump.

He did not, however, provide any details.

Last week, the U.S. media reported that 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.