During talks with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in Amman on Sunday, King Abdullah of Jordan pointed to the so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the U.S. move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital would fuel radicalism and inflame Muslim and Christian tensions.
“For us, Jerusalem is key to Muslims and Christians, as it is to Jews. It is key to peace in the region and key to enabling Muslims to effectively fight some of our root causes of radicalization,” he said.
The report comes as Israeli Hebrew-language Haaretz newspaper said the Israeli ministry for military affairs had confirmed the army was studying a plan to assume responsibility for the situation in the Shuafat refugee camp and the Kafr Aqab district in East Jerusalem al-Quds.
Those areas are in the jurisdiction of Jerusalem, but are cut off from the rest of the occupied city by Israel’s apartheid wall, which has been under construction since 2002.
The International community considers Israel’s administrative control over East Jerusalem an occupation since they invaded the area during the 1967 Arab War and then annexed it.
On Dec. 6 last year, Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the occupied city.
The dramatic shift in Washington’s policy vis-à-vis the city triggered global demonstrations.
On Dec. 21, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution that calls on the U.S. to withdraw its controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israeli “capital.”
Trump threatened reprisals against countries that backed the measure, which had earlier faced a U.S. veto at the U.N. Security Council.
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This article has been adapted from its original source.
