Syrian official slams Trump's bid to move embassy to Jerusalem

DAMASCUS, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Wednesday that the possible decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would be a "dangerous" precedent.

"This would be a very dangerous and would constitute a precedent in international relations," Mekdad told Xinhua, remarking on reports that Trump will announce moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Wednesday.

The Syrian official stressed that "Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian state," warning that the declaration will have very dangerous repercussions on the entire situation in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Mekdad said that the Syrian government wasn't surprised by any decision made by the Trump administration.

"This shows that they are not concerned about the danger this decision may have on the overall situation not only in the Middle East but in the entire region and the world," he remarked.

In the United States, some Western reports said President Trump will announce moving the embassy to Jerusalem on Wednesday, a move that is seen to would spark tension and undermine the efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict peacefully.

Jerusalem is divided between the Israelis and the Palestinians, with each side wanting the ancient city to be the capital of its own state.

Known as a supporter of Israel, Trump promised to move the embassy to Jerusalem during his presidential campaign, and by that move he showcases the support to Israel in its quest to have Jerusalem as its capital. Enditem