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Join on Telegram Rabat – Emmanuel Macron, the French president received on Sunday Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Elysee Palace in Paris amid growing international tensions over Jerusalem. Macron said during a press conference following the meeting that he “told Netanyahu that Trump’s statement on Jerusalem is a threat to peace and we are against it.”
On Wednesday, Trump delivered a speech at the White House, Declaring Jerusalem as capital of Israel. Trump has also vowed to move US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Following Trump’s move, Macron warned the President of the United States about the disruption of peace in the region.
In doing so, Macron was not the only one to blow the whistle. Leaders from around the world warned Trump, urging him to retract his decision as it will undermine peace in the region.
After Trump’s declaration, protests erupted around the world to decry Trump’s decision. On Friday, clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli security forces took place. As a result, four people died and hundreds of Palestinians were injured in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.
Netanyahu then replied that that “the sooner Palestinians recognised the reality that Jerusalem was Israel’s capital, the sooner there would be peace,” a reply that is likely to heat up the ongoing tensions in the region.
After Paris, Netanyahu is now in an official visit to Brussels, Belgium. Macron’s remarks appeared to be inconvenient for Netanyahu. In his visit, the Israeli prime minister has welcomed the US move, believing that European countries would be next to recognize Jerusalem as capital of Israel, reported British news outlet BBC.
“I believe that all, or most, European countries will move their embassies to Jerusalem, recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and engage robustly with us for security, prosperity and peace,” said Netanyahu.
The majority of the international community, however, condemned the US move to leave the country isolated in a sensitive issue.
On Saturday, Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan and Macron had a phone conversation regarding Jerusalem’s issue. The two presidents announced that they will work together to make the US reconsider its decision regarding Jerusalem, reported Reuters.
Waves of outrage continue to mount after Trump’s move. On Sunday, a Palestinian man stabbed an Israeli security agent in the chest, The Guardian reported. The police labeled the incident as a “terrorist” attack.
Such incidents were expected. Arab leaders have warned Trump from making such bold move. King Mohammed VI addressed a message to Trump before declaring Jerusalem as capital of Israel, emphasizing that “Such a decision would ultimately lead to increased strife and tension […] as well as fueling violence and extremism.”
He added that this decision “would hinder international efforts aimed at bringing about an atmosphere conducive to a resumption of peace negotiations.”
