Iraq summons U.S. ambassador in protest at Jerusalem embassy move
U.S. President Donald Trump signs a memo after announcing the transfer of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has summoned U.S. Ambassador in Baghdad Douglas Silliman to protest at President Donald Trump’s decision to move his country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“The ministry has handed Silliman a protest note over trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital,” spokesperson for the Iraqi Foreign Ministry Ahmed Mahjoub told Petra News Agency on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Iraqi government condemned Trump’s decision to move his country’s embassy to Jerusalem.
The government, in its statement, called on the U.S. administration to backtrack on this “wrong and dangerous” decision, saying that the U.S. move will have a negative impact on regional and international stability.
President Trump on Wednesday formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing nearly seven decades of American foreign policy and setting in motion a plan to move the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to the fiercely contested Holy City.
“Today we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital,” The New York Times quoted Mr. Trump as saying from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. “This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It’s something that has to be done.”