Palestinian Official Calls Jerusalem Embassy Move a 'War Crime'

A senior Palestinian official said the U.S. moving its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would constitute a “war crime” and would definitely end any semblance of U.S. leadership in the peace process.

RELATED:
Trump Invites Netanyahu to US as He Prepares Embassy Move

"Moving the embassy is the same as recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's united capital,” said Nabil Shaath, former Palestinian foreign minister, to Al Jazeera. It's a war crime."

"There's no way we or the Arab world could accept it. It would mean the end of the US as the broker of the peace process. We would fight back and mobilize the rest of the world against the move."

The embassy is currently in Tel Aviv to avoid conflict on recognition of a united Jerusalem. Palestinians and the international community consider East Jerusalem — under illegal occupation since Israel's 1967 invasion — the capital of a future Palestinian state.

The consequences of such a move, which Trump suggested but has not yet acted on, would be catastrophic, according to Israeli military intelligence. An Israeli state emboldened by the decision could amp up its illegal occupation of East Jerusalem, triggering deadly fury from neighboring Arab states, wrote an army report sent to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Ynet News.

Jerusalem is home to sites sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians and the move would be a break from decades of U.S. policy. Successive administrations have refused calls to move the embassy and have promoted negotiations over the status of the city.

Meanwhile, one of President Donald Trump’s first phone calls since becoming president was to Israel's extremist president. In the phone call with Netanyahu, Trump stressed his "unprecedented commitment to Israel's security," the White House said, adding that an invitation was extended for Netanyahu to visit Washington.