Palestine said on Sunday it was recalling its ambassador to the United States for consultations after President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as the Israeli Capital last month.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he would not accept any peace plan from the US after Trump’s move, and reiterated that Jerusalem is “the eternal capital of the Palestinian people”, BBC reported.
Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki decided to recall the envoy Husam Zomlot, and said discussions would take place “to set the decisions needed by the Palestinian leadership in the coming period regarding our relations with the US”, according to the official news agency Wafa.
He said Zomlot was expected to return to “his normal work” after the discussions.
On December 6, Trump formally recognised Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel, calling it “a long overdue step to advance the peace process”. Israel called the decision “historic”, even as several countries, as well as the United Nations, the European Union and the Vatican, criticised the move.
Palestine is upset with Trump’s decision, and US Vice President Mike Pence had to cancel a visit to the region in December after Abbas refused to meet him in retaliation.
Jerusalem, which is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims, is home to Islam’s third holiest site – the al-Aqsa mosque – and has been at the centre of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians for decades. Israel captured East Jerusalem, which predominantly has Arab households, in 1967 and later annexed it in a move that is not recognised internationally.
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