- Title: Abbas wins EU backing for Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem
- Date: 22nd January 2018
- Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JANUARY 22, 2018) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF EU COUNCIL BUILDING
- Embargoed: 5th February 2018 13:50
- Keywords: European Union Federica Mogherini Israel Palestinian territories Mahmoud Abbas East Jerusalem capital
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0037Z72J47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: TRANSLATIONS FROM ARABIC AT SHOTS 8 AND 10 WERE PROVIDED BY OFFICIAL INTERPRETER ON THE GROUND
The European Union on Monday (January 22) assured President Mahmoud Abbas it supported his ambition to have East Jerusalem as capital of a Palestinian state, in the bloc's latest rejection of U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
At a meeting in Brussels with EU foreign ministers, Abbas repeated his call for East Jerusalem as capital as he urged EU governments to recognise a state of Palestine immediately, arguing that this would not disrupt negotiations with Israel on a peace settlement for the region.
But while nine EU governments including Sweden and Poland already recognise Palestine, the 28-nation bloc says such recognition must come as part of a peace settlement.
Abbas made no reference to Trump's move on Jerusalem or U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's visit to the city on Monday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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