Ex-Israeli ambassadors to Trump: do not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

The situation in Jerusalem must be dealt with in the global resolution process. Arab leaders and not only warn about the dangers of the decision. Trump will announce the decision today. Peace in the region is at risk. 


Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Ex-ambassadors, academics and activists, a total of 25 Israelis wrote to Donald Trump to stop his possible decision to unilaterally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The appeal was contained in a letter delivered to Jason Greenblatt, the US president’s Middle East envoy.

The letter is signed by "The Policy Working Group", which includes former Israeli diplomats such as Ilan Baruch, Alon Liel and Elie Barnavi. "We are deeply concerned by the recent news that President Trump is really considering unilaterally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ... The status of Jerusalem, the city that hosts the holy places of the three monotheistic religions, is at the heart of the Israeli –Palestinian  conflict ", recalls the group, which stresses that this situation must be dealt with in a process of global resolution of the conflict.

"A declaration by the president [American] that recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, completely unmindful of Palestinian aspirations in this regard, would aggravate the imbalance between the two sides, seriously undermine the chances of peace and could ignite the whole region", warn signatories.

The Palestinian Authority, an interlocutor of the international community and of Israel, claims East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent Palestinian State. For the Palestinians, the decision to transfer the embassy would equate to the "kiss of death" to the two-state solution.

Yesterday, the White House leader informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the King of Jordan of his "intention" to proceed to the controversial transfer which several countries in the region oppose. Today, at 1:00 am in Washington, the American president will formally announce his decision in spite of the warnings coming from all over the Arab world, but also from France, Germany, and other countries.

"Mr. Trump, Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims," ​​warned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mahmoud Abbas, for his part, warned Trump about the "dangerous consequences of such a decision for the peace process, for security and stability in the region and in the world". Saudi Arabia expressed "deep concern", while Arab League director Ahmed Abul Gheit considers a possible American resolution on Jerusalem "dangerous".