Jeremy Corbyn has condemned Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, branding it a "reckless threat to peace".

It follows warnings that the announcement that the US embassy will move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will spark a wave of unrest in the Middle East.

In a statement released on Twitter, Corbyn said: "Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, including occupied Palestinian territory, is a reckless threat to peace.

"The British Government must condemn this dangerous act and work for a just and viable settlement of the conflict."

Theresa May told MPs this afternoon that she intends to speak to the US President about the issue, but the UK Government’s position on the issue “has not changed.”

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Image:
AFP)
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REUTERS)

But despite calls for her to "unequivocally condemn" the decision, she failed to do so.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw called on Mrs May to unequivocally condemn Trump’s decision to move the embassy.

He said: “The recognition by Donald Trump of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will do grave damage to the prospects for a just and lasting peace settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, which has been British - and indeed American foreign policy for decades.”

The Prime Minister said: “I am intending to speak to President Trump about this matter, but our position has not changed.

“Our position has been a longstanding one. It’s also a very clear one. That the status of Jerusalem should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians and Jerusalem should ultimately form a shared capital between the Israeli and the Palestinian states.

“We continue to support a two-state solution. We recognise the importance of Jerusalem and our position on that has not changed.”

In a statement released later, Mrs May said Trump's decision was "unhelpful".

She said: “We disagree with the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement. We believe it is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region. The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it.

“Our position on the status of Jerusalem is clear and long-standing: it should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. In line with relevant Security Council Resolutions, we regard East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

“We share President Trump’s desire to bring an end to this conflict. We welcome his commitment today to a two-state solution negotiated between the parties, and note the importance of his clear acknowledgement that the final status of Jerusalem, including the sovereign boundaries within the city, must be subject to negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

“We encourage the US Administration to now bring forward detailed proposals for an Israel-Palestinian settlement.

“To have the best chances of success, the peace process must be conducted in an atmosphere free from violence. We call on all parties to work together to maintain calm.”