Palestinians appeal to world leaders to block US embassy move

Palestinian leaders are seeking Sunday to rally diplomatic support to persuade US President Donald Trump not to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital after suggestions that he planned to do so.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was holding a series of phone calls with world leaders to “explain the dangers of any decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem or recognize (Jerusalem) as Israel’s capital,” Abbas’s diplomatic adviser Majdi al-Khalidi tells AFP.

His calls so far have included those to Arab leaders, French President Emmanuel Macron and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan told Abbas that an independent Palestinian state must have East Jerusalem as its capital, Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Abbas was also said to be seeking an emergency summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to discuss the issue.

Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Palestinian Authority intelligence head Majed Farraj were making contacts in Washington, Khalidi says.

He says Abbas was warning “of the consequences of taking such a decision that will threaten the political process and peacemaking efforts.”

Trump is set to decide by Monday whether to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

— AFP