Israeli Army Radio: Saudi persuaded Trump to postpone embassy move

Israeli Army Radio reported that Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Adel Al-Jubeir, played the biggest role in persuading US President Donald Trump not to rush to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

The radio station quoted Palestinian officials as saying that Al-Jubeir had played a role in persuading Trump to postpone the step of moving the embassy, in order to help secure suitable conditions for the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

During his election campaign, Trump had pledged to move the embassy to Jerusalem but Washington has not taken any step in this regard so far, according to French national radio.

Palestinians and Arabs are opposed to the move, which the international community has warned may ignite new tensions.

Two weeks ago, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson explained to NBC that Trump is still evaluating whether the idea of moving the embassy would help or hinder chances for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Tillerson also said: “The president is very cautious in his attempt to understand how such a decision could affect the peace process.”

He suggested that Israel itself might have some ideas concerning this issue.The US secretary of state added that Trump is still waiting to see if Israel believes that “the move could play a supporting role in any peace initiative or that it would hinder all such efforts.”

However, in a statement issued by his office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hastened to dispel any doubts on the matter, in anticipation of any objections by his right-wing government.

He said: “Israel has always expressed its position to the US government and the world.”

Moving the US embassy to Jerusalem will not harm the peace process. On the contrary, it will push it forward by correcting a historical injustice and ending the Palestinian narrative that says that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967.