Theresa May will challenge Donald Trump over his controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in showdown call after their diplomatic spat over the Britain First tweet.
The US President is expected to announce his decision later today as part of plans to move the American embassy to the disputed city.
His decision has sparked worldwide condemnation and the region is braced for violence and unrest while Palestinian protesters have already gathered in Gaza to burn US flags at the move.
Mrs May refused to say if the US President had warned her about his decision, but said she intends ‘to talk to him’ about it.
Theresa May pictured in PMQ’s in the Commons today, said she intends to talk to Donald Trump about his hugely controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
Donald trump, pictured in Washington on Monday, has sparked worldwide condemnation with his Jerusalem plans. A showdown call with Theresa May is likely to be very frosty as it comes just a week after he told the British PM not to criticise him and to focus on tackling Islamist terrorism in an astonishing Twitter attack
The phone call is likely to be frosty as it comes just a week after Mr Trump launched an extraordinary attack on the PM after she criticised him for retweeting anti-Muslim propaganda.
Appearing in the House of Commons today for her weekly bout of PMQs, Mrs May was challenged over what she knew about the US President’s decision.
Ben Bradshaw, Labour MP for Exeter said Mr Trump’s decision will cause ‘grave damage’ to the prospects of a peace settlement in the Middle East.
Mrs May told MPs: ‘I’m intending to speak to President Trump about this matter.
‘Our position has not changed, it has been a long standing one and it is also a very clear one.
‘It is that the status of Jerusalem should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately form a shared capital between the Israeli and Palestinian states.
Paestinian protesters today burn the US and Israeli flags in Gaza City amid reports Donald Trump will recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital
Mr Trump’s decision is hugely controversial as both the the Palestinians and Israelis claim the city of Jerusalem (pictured) as their historic home and rightful capital
‘We continue to support a two state solution, we recognise the importance of Jerusalem and our position on that has not changed.’
Mr Trump’s decision is hugely controversial as both the the Palestinians and Israelis claim the city of Jerusalem as their historic home and rightful capital.
To avoid igniting tensions and violence, all Western countries have their embassies in the the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.
The showdown call is likely to be very tense as it comes just a week after the outspoken US President caused a major diplomatic spat by attacking Mrs May on Twitter.
The PM said Mr Trump was ‘wrong’ after he retweeted several videos by far-right group Britain First peddling anti-Muslim hate.
But the President hit back at the criticism by taking to Twitter to write: ‘Theresa@theresamay, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom.
”We are doing just fine!’
The looming phone call over the Jerusalem row is believed to be the first time the two leaders have spoken since the diplomatic row.