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U.S. NEWS Monday 15 May 2017

Tillerson: Trump weighs embassy the peace process, rather
move impact on Mideast peace the opposite. It would
advance it by amending
a historic wrong and by
JOSH LEDERMAN independent state — shattering the Palestinian
Associated Press from Jordan in 1967 and fantasy that Jerusalem isn’t
WASHINGTON (AP) — annexed it, a move not the capital of Israel.”
President Donald Trump is internationally recognized. There was no immediate
assessing whether moving U.S. presidents of both Palestinian reaction.q
the U.S. Embassy in Israel parties have repeatedly
to Jerusalem would help or waived a U.S. law requiring In this Wednesday, May 3,
hurt prospects for clinching the embassy be moved 2017, file photo, Secretary of
an Israeli-Palestinian to Jerusalem. The most State Rex Tillerson speaks to
peace deal, Secretary recent waiver — signed State Department employees,
at the State Department in
of State Rex Tillerson said, by former President Barack Washington.
revealing Trump’s criteria Obama — expires on June Associated Press
for a decision that could 1. Trump is expected to sign
reverberate throughout a six-month renewal of the
the volatile Middle East. waiver before it expires, as
Since taking office, Trump he continues deliberating.
has backed away from his In another sign the White
campaign pledge to move House is proceeding
the embassy in a gesture cautiously, Trump’s
to Israel, instead saying ambassador to Israel,
he’s still studying the issue. David Friedman, plans to
But Tillerson linked Trump’s work out of the current
deliberations directly to his embassy in Tel Aviv
aspirations for brokering rather than out of the U.S.
Mideast peace. Consulate in Jerusalem, as
“The president is being some had urged him to do.
very careful to understand Friedman, who owns an
how such a decision apartment in Jerusalem,
would impact the peace is expected to live in the
process,” Tillerson said in U.S. ambassador’s official
an interview broadcast residence in the Tel Aviv
Sunday on NBC’s “Meet suburb of Herziliya.
the Press.” He said Trump’s Palestinians argue moving
decision would be informed the embassy would
by feedback from all sides, prejudge one of the
including “whether Israel most sensitive issues in
views it as helpful to a the conflict, undermining
peace initiative or perhaps America’s status as an
a distraction.” effective mediator. There
Trump’s decision is being have been some signs that
closely watched as the the Israeli government,
president prepares to while publicly supportive of
depart Friday on his first moving the embassy, has
foreign trip. After stopping quietly raised concerns that
in Saudi Arabia, Trump will doing so could enflame
visit both Israel and the the political and security
Palestinian territories, in a situation.
nod to his nascent bid to In a statement to the
strike the Israeli-Palestinian media Sunday, Netanyahu
deal that has eluded his claimed that moving the
predecessors. embassy would be good
Jerusalem’s status is one for peace.
of the most emotionally “Israel’s position has been
charged issues in the stated many times to the
conflict, with both sides American government
laying claims. Israel and to the world,” he said.
captured east Jerusalem “Moving the American
— claimed by Palestinians Embassy to Jerusalem
for the capital of a future would not only not harm