World condemns US shift on Jerusalem

International Desk: Saudi Arabia called it "unjustified and irresponsible", while France and the UK said they did not support the decision.

But Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu hailed it as "historic" and said he was sure more countries would follow suit.

President Trump's move reversed decades of US policy on one of the thorniest issues between Israel and Palestinians.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party said it would complain to the UN about what Mr Abbas called a "deplorable" decision, while Islamist group Hamas has called for a new intifada, or uprising.

Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are due to hold a day of strikes and protests on Thursday.

The UN Security Council is to discuss the issue on Friday after eight of the 15 member nations called for an emergency session. The Arab League is to meet on Saturday.

The US president said on Wednesday that he had "determined it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

"I've judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians," he said.

He said he was directing the US state department to begin preparations to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Source: BBC

risingbd/Dhaka/December 7, 2017/A K Azad