Trump misses deadline on US embassy in Jerusalem decision

Hogan Gidley, White House deputy press secretary, was quoted by CNN yesterday as saying that the president had been clear that moving the embassy was “not a matter of if but a matter of when”.

But in a phonecall with Mr Trump yesterday, Emmanuel Macron, president of France, voiced concern at a unilateral American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Jerusalem’s status should be settled “in the framework of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, with the aim in particular to establish two countries, Israel and Palestine, living in peace and security side by side with Jerusalem as capital,” Mr Macron said.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, told CNN that "any announcement prior to a final settlement would have a detrimental impact on the peace process and would heighten tensions in the region".