Jerusalem move could throw a lifeline to terrorists, Mohammed bin Zayed tells US think-tank

Crown Prince expressed hope that the US administration would reconsider the move

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (right), and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan meet members of The Washington InstitutShow more

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, on Saturday voiced the UAE’s concern over the US president's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and its potential negative effects on stability in the region.

''The US move could throw a lifeline to terrorist and armed groups, which have begun to lose ground in the region,'' Sheikh Mohammed said during a meeting with a delegation from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, WAM reported.

Sheikh Mohammed expressed hope that the US administration would reconsider its move and work to draft principles for peace that will help bring stability to the Middle East.

The regional and international repercussions of President Donald Trump’s announcement last week, which overturned decades of US policy towards the Middle East and has infuriated the Arab world, as well as upset Western allies, figured highly on discussions between the two parties.

The move sparked multiple protests over the weekend by Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future independent state. On Friday, thousands of Palestinians took to the streets and two were killed in clashes with Israeli troops on the Gaza border.

Most countries consider East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed after capturing it in a 1967 war, to be occupied territory, and say the status of the city should be left to be decided at future Israeli-Palestinian talks.

The Crown Prince also presented an overview of UAE foreign policy to the 50-member delegation, with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in attendance.

The situation in Yemen, and possible solutions to the crisis, was also discussed. The Crown Prince highlighted the humanitarian and developmental assistance the UAE and Saudi Arabia have provided to ease the suffering of the Yemeni people.