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Abbas warns U.S. relocation of embassy to Jerusalem threatens peace bid

Xinhua, January 17, 2017 Adjust font size:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned Tuesday that moving the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem "is more than a provocative action threatening the peace process."

Abbas told reporters while chairing the Palestinian government's weekly meeting in Ramallah, "We told U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that we hope he won't agree to moving his country's embassy to Jerusalem."

"We told President Trump that Israel, from its perspective, believes Jerusalem is its everlasting city, which is totally wrong and illegal," said Abbas, warning, "this move would dismantle the peace process."

Abbas added, "We hope to resume our peace negotiations supported by implementing global resolutions, mainly the last United Nations Security Council resolution 2334 and the outcome of the Paris Peace Conference."

Palestinian borders, Abbas stressed, "are the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as our capital. Other than that, they can do what they want, however before this fact is acknowledged, moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem is a provocative step."

Trump's aides had stated earlier this week that moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem "is a big priority for President Trump."

However, Palestinians are exerting effort through their contacts with the international community, mainly with Russia, to stop the move of the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to take office as the 45th President of the United States on January 20, 2017. Endit