| Author (Person) | Leonard, Mark |
|---|---|
| Publisher | European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) |
| Series Title | Podcast |
| Series Details | December 2017 |
| Publication Date | 09/12/2017 |
| Content Type | Journal | Series | Blog, News |
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Further information On 6 December 2017, US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, mirroring the official Israeli position on the status of the city. In doing so, the US has become the first country to officially endorse the Israeli position on a hotly disputed issue that lies at the very heart of the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP), potentially weakening the role of the US in that process as an impartial mediator and tilting the odds further in Israel’s favour. The move has been widely condemned as a violation of international law and a political provocation. However, it leaves open the possibility to address the status of the city as part of a comprehensive peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians. In a Statement by EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on the announcement President Trump it was said 'The European Union expresses serious concern about today’s announcement by the United States President Trump on Jerusalem and the repercussions this may have on the prospect of peace. The EU position remains unchanged. The aspirations of both parties must be fulfilled and a way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both states. The EU and its Member States will continue to respect the international consensus on Jerusalem embodied in, inter alia, UNSCR 478, including on the location of their diplomatic representations until the final status of Jerusalem is resolved'. Coincidentally, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, held a meeting with the EU High Representative and EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels on the 11 December 2017. Mr Netanyahu predicted that in the future most EU countries would move their embassies to Jerusalem, a point disputed by the EU High Representative.Mark Leonard spoke with ECFR Policy Fellows Hugh Lovatt, Ellie Geranmayeh and Julien Barnes-Dacey about reactions to US President Trump’s recognition in December 2017 of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the new divergence between Washington and Europe across the Middle East. See also the information contained in the related hyperlinks. In particular the EPRS: At a Glance US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel |
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| Source Link | http://www.ecfr.eu/podcasts/episode/us_and_europe_clash_in_the_middle_east |
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| Countries / Regions | Europe, Middle East, United States |
