US embassy move to Jerusalem will hurt peace: Jordan

By Laith Junaidi

AMMAN, Jordan

The relocation of the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would undermine Middle East peacemaking efforts, Jordan’s King Abdullah II has warned.

The king began a visit to the U.S. on Monday, becoming the first Arab leader to hold talks with the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

King Abdullah has met with a number of U.S. congressmen, with whom he discussed developments in the Middle East and U.S.-Jordan relations.

Jordan’s official Petra news agency quoted the king as saying that the proposed U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would undermine prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace and for any eventual two-state solution to the conflict.

"It would have negative repercussions on efforts to achieve security and stability in the region," he said.

He went on to warn that moving the embassy would "fuel hopelessness and anger [among Palestinians] and give extremists the chance to spread their ideology".

During his electoral campaign, Trump pledged to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem -- despite a reluctance to do so by past administrations in Washington.

But the White House stated last week that "no decision" had yet been made, saying talks on the issue were still "in the very early stages".

Jerusalem remains at the core of the perennial dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, as the latter want East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel for 50 years -- as the capital of a future state.

Although Israel has claimed the city as its "eternal capital" since occupying East Jerusalem in 1967, the international community has never recognized the assertion.

Until now, most foreign diplomatic missions in Israel remain based in the city of Tel Aviv.

Palestinian leaders have repeatedly warned that moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would mean recognizing it as Israel’s de facto capital despite the ongoing occupation of East Jerusalem.