Palestine rejects Washington's intention to register U.S. citizens in Jerusalem as Israelis

Source: Xinhua| 2019-09-04 19:07:47|Editor: xuxin
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RAMALLAH, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian foreign ministry on Wednesday confirmed its absolute rejection of the U.S. administration's intention to register its citizens born in Jerusalem as Israelis on their passports and identity papers.

The ministry considered the step as "an emphasis by the administration of President Donald Trump to antagonize Palestinian people and undermine any chance for peace on the basis of a two-state solution."

Israeli media reported on Tuesday that the U.S. administration is considering to allow U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem to list "Jerusalem, Israel" on their passports.

Israeli websites quoted U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as saying that "we're constantly evaluating the way we handle what can be listed on passports."

The PA Foreign Ministry statement said "just thinking in this direction is a violation of international law and international legitimacy decisions."

U.S. President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel in December 2017 and then moved the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May last year.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, while Israel wants all Jerusalem to be its eternal capital. Israel annexed East Jerusalem in the 1967 war, but the move has never been recognized by the international community.

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