The dice is cast as Trumps recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing almost seven decades of American foreign policy imperiling Middle East peace efforts and upsetting the Arab world and Western allies alike.

Trump also announced his administration would begin a process of setting in motion a plan to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to the fiercely contested Holy City, a step expected to take years and one that his predecessors opted not to take to avoid inflaming tensions.

I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Trump said in a speech at the White House.

While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering.

According to Trump, past approaches to the conflict, like delaying that recognition, had not moved the peace process forward.

This is a long overdue step to advance the peace process and to work towards a lasting agreement, he added.

LIVE: Trump says it is time the U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital https://t.co/EYAj7z5vVX pic.twitter.com/PudkHmXlFu

— Reuters Live (@ReutersLive) December 6, 2017

Trump’s decision risks further inflaming a region already grappling with conflict in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

The status of Jerusalem - home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions - is one of the biggest obstacles to reaching a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem isolates the United States on one of the world’s most sensitive diplomatic issues.

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Trump’s announcement as a “historic landmark,” other close Western allies of Washington such as Britain and France were critical.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States abdicated its role as a mediator in peace efforts, and Palestinian secular and Islamist factions called for a general strike and rallies on Thursday to protest the move.

Pope Francis and the Chinese foreign ministry joined the chorus of voices warning that the move could unleash a wave of violence across the region.

The international community does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, believing its status should be resolved in negotiations.

No other country has its embassy in Jerusalem.

Trump’s decision fulfills a campaign promise and will please Republican conservatives and evangelicals who make up a sizeable portion of his domestic support.

Israel considers Jerusalem its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all embassies based there.

Palestinians want the capital of an independent state of theirs to be in the city’s eastern sector, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move never recognized internationally.

Sources: Reuters, MSN