Palestine: US Jerusalem decision should be ‘rescinded’

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The U.S. should reverse its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital as the decision disqualifies Washington as a mediator in the conflict, Palestine's permanent observer to the UN said Friday.

President Donald Trump’s decision “should be altered and rescinded", Riyad Mansour said during a special session of the Security Council.

"The United States decision disqualifies its role as a just broker for peace," he added.

Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital on Wednesday and directed the State Department to begin the process to relocate the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to the contested city. The move is expected to take years.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict with Palestinians hoping East Jerusalem -- now occupied by Israel -- might eventually serve as the capital of their future state.

During his presidential campaign last year, Trump repeatedly promised to relocate the embassy and acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, as did presidents before him who balked at the decision in office when faced with the consequences the unilateral declaration would have on peace efforts and American security.

The decision drew fierce condemnation during the Security Council meeting, including from close U.S. allies including the U.K., France, and Japan.

British representative, Matthew Rycroft, reportedly called the declaration "unhelpful to peace" and French ambassador Francois Delattre voiced regret, citing the blows the move has on the long-sought two-state solution.

In a striking rejection of the UN's efforts to broker peace between Israel and Palestine, U.S. ambassador Nikki Haley said the international organization has done a lot of damage to the process.

The UN "has done much more to damage the prospects for Middle East peace than to advance them," she said, according to reports. "Over many years the UN has outrageously been the world’s foremost center of hostility towards Israel," she added.

Israeli ambassador Danny Danon thanked the U.S. for the "courageous decision" and called on other nations to follow suit.

“The United States had the courage and true understanding of justice to officially state what has always been known, that Jerusalem has and always will be the capital of Israel,” he said.