WASHINGTON, Dec 5 (KUNA) -- The White House announced Tuesday that US President Donald Trump will deliver remarks on Wednesday regarding his decision on Jerusalem.
White House Spokesperson Sarah Sanders told reporters that Trump did speak with a number of leaders today and "he's going to continue to have conversations with relevant stakeholders, but ultimately, he'll make what he feels is the best decision for the United States." Meanwhile, the White House said in a statement that Trump spoke separately today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt and King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia.
The White House noted that Trump "reaffirmed his commitment to advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the importance of supporting those talks." He underscored "the importance of bilateral cooperation with each partner to advance peace efforts throughout the region." "The leaders also discussed potential decisions regarding Jerusalem," the statement added.
For her part, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters "we're watching the situation very closely," as there have been several media reports that have discussed concerns about the security situation, saying "because of that, we continue to watch the security situation there." She indicated "we have put out information to not only our personnel, but also the American public through some of our embassy websites." "We take this situation seriously and we're closely watching it... the safety and security, not only of US personnel but American citizens at home and abroad is the top issue here," she said. It is speculated that Trump will declare in his remarks tomorrow Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, as well as the US Embassy move to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv amid warnings of violence and reports that the Pentagon has ordered the positioning of troops ahead of his announcement. (end) si.ibi