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Erdogan: US Jerusalem move puts region in ring of fire NEWS / PALESTINE Jerusalem Palestine Middle East SIGN UP Erdogan said the US has disregarded a 1980 United Nations resolution regarding the status of the city [Umit Bektas/Reuters] Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, saying it would throw this region into "a ring of fire". "Taking such a step throws particularly this region into a ring of fire. What would you like to do [with this step], Mr Trump? What kind of stance is it?" Erdogan said on Thursday, at Esenboga Airport in the capital Ankara, before leaving for a visit to Greece. Breaking with decades of US policy, Trump on Wednesday announced the transfer of American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, formally recognising the contested city as the capital of Israel despite widespread international opposition. "I have determined that it is time to officially recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," he said in a speech in Washington.
Ignite a 'powder keg' US analysts say Trump's announcement might risk igniting a "powder keg" at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict. "Jerusalem has a tendency to explode when you fool around with the status quo," said Aaron David Miller, vice president at the Woodrow Wilson Center and a former Middle East adviser to the Clinton and Bush administrations. The Turkish president, who had earlier warned that the status of Jerusalem was a red line for Muslims , said that the US decision disregarded a 1980 United Nations resolution regarding the status of the city. He added that political leaders should work to bring peace, not stir things up. Calling Jerusalem "also a sanctuary for Christians", Erdogan added that he would speak to Pope Francis about Trump's decision this evening or on Friday. Turkey will host an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) on December 13 to discuss the US move. Jerusalem at the core of the conflict Jerusalem remains at the core of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem might eventually serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Israel illegally occupied Palestinian territories in the 1967 war , including East Jerusalem in defiance of the international community, and wasted no time in declaring the city as its "eternal, undivided" capital. Trump had promised to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during his election campaign. Saeb Erekat , the chief Palestinian negotiator, said Trump "destroyed any possibility of peace" and was "pushing this region towards chaos [and] violence". "He is destroying all moderates in the region and giving power to extremists," "This is the most dangerous decision that any US president has ever taken." Erekat said it is "meaningless" to have a Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capital.

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'Europe has to reform': How the far right grew in 2017 NEWS / POLITICS  The Far Right Politics European Union Europe 2017 Events SIGN UP Demonstrators carry signs reading 'Nazis get out' during a protest in Vienna, Austria, where the far right has now entered government [File: Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images] The rise of the far right was a defining feature of European politics in 2017. In December, the trend peaked with Austria becoming the only European country to bring the far right into government. Several parties have exploited discussions about immigration , Islam and the role of the European Union , considering them a threat to security, to win support, from France to Poland. We have a new government and #Austria 's police as well as its army will be under the control of Austria's far right party FPÖ. Including all secret services. And on top the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. - Am not sure if the rest of the world has already noticed this. 7:25 PM - Dec ...
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Jerusalem as capital: All the latest NEWS / ISRAELI–PALESTINIAN CONFLICT  CASUALTIES 10 people killed 2,908 injuries: PRCS 400 arrests: PPS Besides words, what can be done? Protests from Jakarta to Rabat Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital Jerusalem Israeli–Palestinian conflict Palestine Middle East, The decision of US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has generated a series of reactions in Palestine and around the world. Here are the latest developments, both on the diplomatic and street front, as of Friday, December 22: Latest developments Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Washington to reverse its move to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in line with the UN General Assembly's vote to reject Trump's decision. "The U.S. should turn back from this wrong step," he said, at a meeting of his AK Party in Istanbul on Friday. Erdogan criticised the US president for making "ugly and unfo...
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