US moves to shift embassy to Jerusalem
The White House yesterday said that it is in the early stages of talks to fulfil President Donald Trump's pledge to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move opposed by the Palestinian leadership.
"We are at the very beginning stages of even discussing this subject," said White House spokesman Sean Spicer.
Hundreds of Palestinians protested against the plans in cities across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to local media reports.
Trump reportedly spoke to hardline, right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day.
In his first call with Netanyahu since taking office on Friday, Trump stressed his "unprecedented commitment to Israel's security," White House said in a statement.
The Israeli prime minister has been invited to the White House for face-to-face talks in February, in what will be one of Trump's first meetings with another head of state since becoming Commander in Chief.
In the "very warm" phone call on Sunday evening, Trump and Netanyahu reportedly discussed military, security and intelligence cooperation between the two allies, a statement from Netanyahu's office said, including the "threat posed by Iran", which has pledged Israel's destruction.
Trump said during his election campaign that he would seek to unpick the historic US-Iran deal, in which Iran agreed to curtail its nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions. He has not clarified his position since winning the presidency or taking office.
Comments