WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Donald Trump scheduled calls with the leaders of Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories a day ahead of a rumored announcement of a change in U.S. policy on the status of Jerusalem.
“The President has calls scheduled this morning with Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, King Abdullah of Jordan and Palestinian Authority President [Mahmoud] Abbas,” the White House said in a statement. “We will have a readout on these calls later today.”
The Israeli media reported that the call with Abbas already took place.
Trump, who campaigned on a promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, let lapse a Dec. 1 deadline to waive a 1995 law mandating the moving of the embassy.
Reports have said he will address the issue on Wednesday, but the White House would only say on Monday that “We will share a decision on the waiver in the coming days.”
An array of Muslim nations have warned Trump that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would damage U.S. ties with Muslims, and Palestinian officials have said it would kill efforts by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Israel’s government has encouraged Trump to make the move, while King Abdullah has lobbied Trump not to take the action. Jordan maintains some control over the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.
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