Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas believes President-elect Trump would kill the two-state solution for peace between Abbas’ country and Israel if he moved the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
In an interview at the Vatican after the opening of the Palestinian Embassy there, Abbas urged Trump not to move the embassy because it would harm the chances of peace in the region.
“Not only would this move deprive the United States of all legitimacy in playing a role in conflict resolution, it would also destroy the two-state solution,” Mr Abbas told the French paper Le Figaro.
Trump has made moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem a central part of his plans for improving relations with Israel when he takes office on Jan. 20. Trump has slammed President Obama for harming the relationship between Israel and the United States, and has praised Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu when the Israeli leader criticizes Obama.
Among the possible consequences of moving the embassy to Jerusalem would be the Palestine Liberation Organization reversing its recognition of Israel, Abbas said. Israel and the PLO recognized each other in 1993.
“If this is the decision, to transfer the embassy to Jerusalem, it will not help peace and we hope it doesn’t happen,” Abbas told reporters.
