Lavrov: Transfer of US Embassy to Jerusalem stalled settlement negotiations

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that the United States’ decision on Jerusalem has brought the Israeli-Palestinian settlement to a standstill.

During his meeting with Nickolay Mladenov, the UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Lavrov said “this impasse is getting deeper and deeper, especially in light of recent US decisions on Jerusalem.”

He added: “Moscow is concerned about attempts to change the structure of the geopolitical map of the Middle East in such a way as to eliminate the Palestinian cause and marginalise it.”

Lavrov stressed that “all countries have expressed concern about the accumulation of serious problems which may lead to an eruption at any moment.”

Last Monday, the Israeli authorities began placing banners with the words “American Embassy” in the Arnona neighbourhood of Jerusalem, in preparation for the inauguration of the embassy next Monday, which coincides with the establishment of the State of Israel’s 70th anniversary (14 May, 1948).

On 6 December, 2017, Trump declared Jerusalem, both East and West, as the capital of Israel, and began to transfer its embassy there, which ignited anger in the Palestinian territories, while eliciting as well Arab, Islamic, and international condemnation.