Turkey: Potential US Move on Jerusalem ‘Worrying’
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin on Tuesday called on the United States administration to refrain from recognizing Jerusalem (al-Quds) as the capital of Israel.
Kalin on his Twitter account said: "The news that the US administration will recognize Jerusalem (al-Quds) as Israel's capital is extremely worrying. This is completely against Jerusalem’s (al-Quds) religious and historical status, international agreements and UN decisions.”
"Such a step will dismiss the peace process in the Middle East, which is already in a fragile state, and cause new tensions and conflicts in the Middle East. We hope that the US administration will not make such fatal mistake. Keeping the status of Jerusalem (al-Quds) and Harem-i Serif [Al-Aqsa Mosque] has vital importance," he said, Anadolu Agency reported.
Kalin's remarks came after US media reported last week that US President Donald Trump was mulling the imminent relocation of the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (al-Quds) and the formal recognition of the city as Israel’s capital.
Jerusalem (al-Quds) remains at the core of the perennial Israel-Palestine conflict, as Palestinians want Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem (al-Quds) as the capital of a future state.
During his election, Trump promised to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (al-Quds).