Abbas warns of danger from U.S. decision on Jerusalem

Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-03 05:26:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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RAMALLAH/GAZA, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday conducted a series of Arab and international contacts to warn of the danger from any U.S. administration's decision on Jerusalem, the Palestinian state-run News Agency (WAFA) reported.

The report said that Abbas contacted Arab leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Kuwait and Qatar, and explained to them that any U.S. decision on recognizing the city as the capital of Israel or moving its embassy to the city "is very dangerous to peace stability in the region."

Abbas has also contacted leaders of France, the European Union, the Islamic Conference and the Arab League, and explained to them that such a move "would get the region into unexpected consequences."

Islamic Hamas movement on Saturday called for a new Palestinian uprising in case the United States recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, according to an official Hamas statement.

"In light of what is being circulated in the media on President Trump's intentions to declare Jerusalem as the capital of the occupying state, Hamas warns of the consequences of such a decision," said the movement in an emailed statement.

Media reports in the U.S. said Friday that President Trump was considering to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and might announce it on next Wednesday.

However, it is expected that he may postpone the implementation of his promise to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"We call upon the Palestinian people to stand up and block the wall in the face of this unjust decision and to incite an uprising in Jerusalem so that this conspiracy does not pass," said Hamas statement.

It added that the move "is a blatant attack by the United States on the city, and gives the entity (Israel) a legitimate control on the city of Jerusalem, and a cover to continue the crimes of Judaization of the city."

Hamas said that any decision whatsoever will not change the fact that Jerusalem is a Palestinian Arab and Islamic land.

The movement called on Arab and Islamic states at the official and public levels "to stand by their responsibilities and to work to stop this resolution and to criminalize it."

Member of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee and Head of Information and Culture Department Hanan Ashrawi said Saturday that "such a step would destabilize the whole region, destroy the peace process, disqualify the U.S. from its role in the region and generate a new wave of extremism."

"I hope that nobody would take such a step; this would be extremely irresponsible and dangerous," she told Xinhua in a telephone interview, warning that it is "very dangerous and would transform into a religious issue" and that any "attempt at annexation or imposing an illegal position on Jerusalem would generate desirability in the entire region."

On Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeinah said that the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, or moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is "equally dangerous to the future of the peace process and would take the region into the square of instability."

Abu Rudeinah stressed that any just solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should guarantee that East Jerusalem is the capital of the independent state of Palestine, cautioning that "failing to reach a solution to the Palestinian cause will prolong tensions, chaos and violence."

Trump issued an exceptional decision to keep the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv last June, which is expected to expire this month, but it is not clear yet if Trump will renew his decision or not.

The issue of moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is considered by Palestinians as a provocation and deconstruction of the peace talks.

The peace talks between Palestine and Israel have been stalled since April 2014. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results.

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