Donald Trump Jerusalem speech: No10 issues warning over plan to 'recognise historic city as Israel’s capital'

Britain today warned Donald Trump that he risks inflaming tension in the Middle East if he relocates the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

No10 issued the warning as reports emerged from Washington that the President is expected to announce he will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Manuel Hassassian, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, said the act would deliver the “kiss of death” to a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict and risked unleashing violence.

Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag warned the White House decision would plunge “the region and the world into a fire with no end in sight”.

Trump's decision would 'plunge the region into fire with no end in sight', said Turkey's Deputy PM
AP

Britain, Germany and France led countries telling their citizens of possible clashes erupting in Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and on the West Bank during three “days of rage” protests.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson voiced Britain’s “concern” at the proposed embassy move, given that Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Palestinian protesters burn the US and Israeli flags in Gaza City on December 6.
AFP/Getty Images

A Downing Street source added: “We are concerned by reports that the US is considering recognising Jerusalem as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement.

“Like our international partners, we believe such a move could inflame tension in the region.”

“Our position is clear and long-standing: the status of Jerusalem should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately form a shared capital between the Israeli and Palestinian states.”

Palestinian protesters burn pictures of US president Donald Trump.
AFP/Getty Images

Mr Johnson stressed that Britain would not be moving its embassy and urged Washington to come forward with a Middle East peace plan as a “matter of priority”.

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said: “Even by Donald Trump’s low standards, moving the embassy and recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital are breathtakingly dangerous decisions.

“The British government must both condemn Donald Trump unequivocally for that recklessness, and also work immediately with our other allies to try and fill the mediation role that he has deserted today.”

Senior US officials briefed last night that Mr Trump will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in a speech today and set in motion the relocation of the US embassy to the city from Tel Aviv, however this could take years.

The move, which would reverse decades of US foreign policy, sparked widespread condemnation.

China warned against igniting “new hostility”, Russia stressed the situation could get worse, Saudi Arabia, an ally of the US, called the new policy “a flagrant provocation to Muslims”, while Jordan’s King Abdullah said the decision would “undermine efforts to resume the peace process”.

The Foreign Office stressed that “Palestinian factions” had called for three ‘days of rage’ in the West Bank from 6 to 8 December 2017 and urged Britons to avoid demonstrations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not comment during his first public remarks since the White House confirmed the new policy.

Pope Francis called for the status quo of Jerusalem to be respected and for “wisdom and prudence” to prevail to avoid further conflict.

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