Trump plans 6-month waiver to delay embassy move to Jerusalem: report

President Trump is expected to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel but will sign a waiver that would delay relocating the U.S. embassy to that city from Tel Aviv, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.

Speculation in recent days that Trump would declare Jerusalem the capital and move the U.S. embassy has sparked alarm in the Middle East. Arab leaders have reportedly warned such a decision would increase tensions in the region and complicate peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.

But declaring Jerusalem the capital while delaying the embassy move would mirror how previous U.S. presidents have dealt with the issue for more than 20 years.

Under the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, the U.S. Embassy in Israel is supposed to be moved to Jerusalem. But every president since then has waived the requirement every six months in order to keep the embassy in Tel Aviv.

It has long been U.S. policy, followed by presidents of both parties, that the status of Jerusalem should be resolved through peace talks by Israelis and Palestinians.

Jerusalem is home to holy sites for Muslims, Christians and Jews, and Palestinians want the city to be the capital of a future Palestinian state, making it a flashpoint for political disputes.

{mosads}Saudi Arabia’s King Salman reportedly told Trump that moving the embassy to Jerusalem would increase tensions in the region and “inflame the passions of Muslims around the world.”

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that Trump called Abbas to inform him of his plans to move the embassy.

A Palestinian envoy said Monday that recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would have “catastrophic consequences,” calling it a “kiss of death” to peace negotiations.