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Can the Palestinians Mobilize the Arab World on the U.S. Embassy Issue?

(Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Pinhas Inbari - The intention of the new U.S. administration to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem evoked angry reactions in the Palestinian Authority. Saeb Erekat, General Secretary of the PLO Executive Committee, told Palestinian Television that the Palestinians reject not only relocating the embassy to west Jerusalem, under Israeli control since 1949, but to any part of Jerusalem at all. As far as the Palestinians are concerned, east and west Jerusalem are all the same; all of it is Palestinian, and Jerusalem cannot be recognized as Jewish in any part. Jerusalem is very important to the Palestinian Authority and is less important to other Arab countries and Saudi Arabia in particular, since the Saudis are anxious to preserve the supreme holy status of Mecca. Palestinian sources describe the meeting between PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Saudi King Salman on Dec. 21, 2016, during which President Sisi of Egypt phoned to update the King that he had decided to withdraw the Egyptian Security Council resolution against Israel (that was submitted later by other Security Council members). The King told Sisi, "Go ahead." Abbas said, "At least resist Trump's decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem," but Sisi said, according to the sources, "I am with Trump," while the King of Saudi Arabia kept silent. Jordan, if left alone, has no interest to act against moving the U.S. embassy, as long as it is located in west Jerusalem. Jordan will try and convince the Trump administration to avoid moving the embassy, but this is due less to its own interests than because of competition forced on them by the Palestinians. King Abdullah promised Abbas that he would bring up the issue of the Jerusalem embassy with Trump, but that Jordan has many issues that are more pressing to raise.
2017-02-01 00:00:00
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