Flipping the table

Oh and also? In case we haven’t had enough yet? The Jerusalem thing too. I guess Trump is rushing to break everything he can before the cuffs are on.

President Trump told Israeli and Arab leaders on Tuesday that he plans to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a symbolically fraught move that would upend decades of American policy and upset efforts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

He’s told Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, although the embassy isn’t actually packing up the dishes and books yet because they don’t have a building in Jerusalem. Middle East experts say that’s weird, because all they have to do is change the sign on the consulate in Jerusalem.

Mr. Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital — and to set in motion an embassy move — is his riskiest foray yet into the thicket of Middle East diplomacy. Arab and European leaders warn that it could derail any peace initiative and even ignite fresh violence in the region.

That’s what he wants. He wants to make the biggest mess he possibly can. That’s literally all he wants.

King Abdullah II strongly cautioned against the move, “stressing that Jerusalem is the key to achieving peace and stability in the region and the world,” according to a statement from the royal palace in Amman.

“King Abdullah stressed that the adoption of this resolution will have serious implications for security and stability in the Middle East, and will undermine the efforts of the American administration to resume the peace process and fuel the feelings of Muslims and Christians,” the statement said.

Few details of the conversation between Mr. Trump and Mr. Abbas were released, but a P.L.O. spokesman said that the call had given shape to the worst fears of Palestinians — that the United States would break with decades of practice and longstanding international consensus by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The Palestinians hope to make East Jerusalem the capital of a Palestinian state, and the city is of great religious significance to Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Don’t worry, Kushner will fix it all.

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