American officials have said Trump may recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital this week as a way to offset his likely decision to delay his campaign promise of moving the U.S. Embassy there. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, described the status of Jerusalem as a “red line” for Muslims that could lead to a severing of relations with Israel, while the European Union warned of possible “serious repercussions”. Israel captured east Jerusalem, home to major Muslim, Christian and Jewish holy sites, in the 1967 Mideast war and quickly annexed it to its capital. The Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and the international community says the city's status must be determined in peace talks. Majdi Khaldi, the diplomatic adviser of Abbas, said recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital could destroy Washington's role as mediator between Israelis and Palestinians. The fate of Jerusalem has been the perhaps most combustible issue in more than two decades of intermittent U.S.-led Israeli-Palestinian talks on Palestinian statehood. Trump's point-man on the Middle East, son-in-law Jared Kushner, later said the president hasn't decided yet what steps to take regarding Jerusalem.
– Turkey and the Palestinians warned on Tuesday of dire diplomatic repercussions if President Trump goes ahead with a possible recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told parliament that his country's response "could go as far as us cutting diplomatic ties with Israel," reports the AP. A senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned that the Palestinian leadership could halt contacts with US counterparts in response to such recognition. American officials have said Trump may recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital this week as a way to offset his likely decision to delay his campaign promise of moving the US Embassy. The White House missed a deadline Monday to waive a law requiring the US Embassy be moved to Jerusalem, reports the Guardian; the waiver is required every six months, and Trump signed it in June. Trump's point man on the Middle East, son-in-law Jared Kushner, later said the president hasn't decided yet what steps to take on Jerusalem. The possibility of such recognition triggered mounting criticism and opposition by Muslim and Arab states. The Arab League was to meet Tuesday, while on Monday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation said US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital would constitute "naked aggression." Majdi Khaldi, Abbas' diplomatic adviser, said recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital could destroy Washington's role as mediator between Israelis and Palestinians. Recognition "would mean they decided, on their own, to distance themselves from efforts to make peace and that they will have no credibility or role in this issue," Khaldi told the AP. "We will stop our contacts with them [in the event of recognition] because such a step goes against our existence and against the fate of our cause."