Donald Trump has directed the State Department to begin relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem
In a historic decision that overturns decades of US policy, on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump recognized the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a move that may trigger a fresh spate of violence in the Middle East.
While supporters of Donald Trump and the Israeli government rally behind the President's decision, Arab states have warned Mr Trump that this decision will compromise the stability of this already volatile region.
Taking to Twitter, the US President wrote that he has determined that it is "time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel" and that he will direct the State Department to relocate the American Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a pre-recorded speech, said Jerusalem was the "eternal capital of the State of Palestine" and that Trump's move was "tantamount to the United States abdicating its role as a peace mediator."
Here are the highlights of the Jerusalem decision:
Iran strongly condemned US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday, saying it threatened a "new intifada", or uprising.
The United Nations Security Council will meet on Friday at the request of eight states on the 15-member body over US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, diplomats said on Wednesday. The request for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to publicly brief the Security Council meeting was made by France, Bolivia, Egypt, Italy, Senegal, Sweden, Britain and Uruguay, said diplomats.
Five Things To Know About JerusalemJerusalem is once again stirring powerful emotions around the world with US President Donald Trump set to recognise the city as Israel's capital.
Iraq's senior shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemned on Thursday US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. ''This decision is condemned and decried, it hurt the feelings of hundreds of millions of Arabs and Muslims,'' said a statement from Sistani's office.
The Israeli military said it was reinforcing troops deployed in the occupied West Bank on Thursday as Palestinians protest against the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
The powerful Palestinian Islamist group Hamas called on Thursday for a new uprising against Israel after US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.
Lebanon's pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper declared "Death to America" on its front page on Thursday, the strongest reaction among universally critical Lebanese press coverage of US President Donald Trump's decision on the status of disputed Jerusalem.
A prominent Iraqi militia backed by Iran, Harakat Hezbollah al- Nujaba, said on Thursday US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital could become a "legitimate reason" to attack US forces in Iraq, reported news agency Reuters.
Indonesia's President Joko Widodo tweeted, "Indonesia strongly condemns the unilateral recognition of the United States against Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The admission violates the Security Council and General Assembly resolution. I and the people of Indonesia remain consistent with the Palestinian people in fighting for their independence and rights."
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called on Muslims worldwide to strongly oppose any recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, as he rallied his party ahead of a tough election due next year.
The United States has asked Israel to temper its response to the US recognition of Jerusalem as its capital because Washington expects a backlash and is weighing the potential threat to US facilities and people, according to a State Department document seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
In its message for the European capitals, the document asked European officials to argue that Trump's decision did not prejudge so-called "final status" issues that Israel and the Palestinians need to hammer out in any peace agreement.
A second State Department document seen by Reuters, which was also dated Dec. 6, said the agency had formed an internal task force "to track worldwide developments" following the US decision on Jerusalem.
UAE's state news agency WAM cited a foreign ministry statement on UAE denouncing the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. "The ministry expressed deep concern over the repercussions of this decision on the region's stability as it inflames the emotions of the Arab and Muslim people due to the status of Jerusalem in the conscience of Arabs and Muslims," the statement read.
Slamming Donald Trump's decision on Jerusalem, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in a speech to officials in Tehran, said Iran "will not tolerate a violation of Islamic sanctities. Muslims must stand united against this major plot."
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Twitter said US decision on Jerusalem and its "decision to support Israel is not only a violation of international law, but also a severe blow to the conscience of humanity."
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a pre-recorded speech, said Jerusalem was the "eternal capital of the State of Palestine" and that Trump's move was "tantamount to the United States abdicating its role as a peace mediator."
UK Prime Minister Theresa May, in a statement, said Britain's position on the status of Jerusalem is that it should be "determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states."
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Twitter said that Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel for nearly 70 years while being the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years.
French President Emmanuel Macron in a tweet said that France does not approve the decision of the United States and that it supports the two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, living in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of the two states.