US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel tonight.

"I am determined that the time has come to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This is in the best interest of the US and in the best interest of the peace process in the Middle East," Trump told reporters at the White House tonight. 

The US President said he had ordered the State Department to develop a plan to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 

"Jerusalem must remain a holy place for all three major religions," Trump said, adding that the US is ready to support a two-state solution if both sides so desire.

A large number of Palestinians were on the streets of Gaza City today. They carried banners against Trump, a few hours before his declaration, which would also move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

On Tuesday, Trump informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordanian King Abdullah about the plan to relocate the embassy, and also called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to inform them about it.

Join me live from the @WhiteHouse via #Periscopehttps://t.co/wLXKoISSTG

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2017

Ahead of Trump's announced decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the US State Department issued instructions to its diplomatic missions asking officials to postpone travel to Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank until December 20, Reuters reported. The instructions apply to all non-essential travel, but the reason was not stated, the British agency reported.

Al Jazeera writes that the Arab League will hold an extraordinary meeting on Saturday due to the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Palestinians and Jordan requested the meeting, which will be held at 3 p.m. local time, said Ambassador Diab al-Louh.

In addition, Bolivia announced on Wednesday that it would request a public meeting of the UN Security Council due to this US decision.

Bolivian Ambassador to the UN Sacha Sergio Llorentty Soliz said that recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would be a "reckless and dangerous decision contrary to international law and Security Council resolutions" and that it would "undermine all efforts for peace in the region and destabilize the entire region.".

It is not known when this meeting will be held.

The New York Times also reported on the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the postponement of the relocation.

US and world officials expressed concern about possible violence and retaliation that such an act would cause.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the US to abandon the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the relocation of the embassy from Tel Aviv.

"On behalf of Turkey, which currently chairs the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, but also as President of the Republic of Turkey, I call on the US to abandon this step, which will cause chaos in the region, and we call on Israel to implement policies that will contribute to peace and prosperity," Erdogan said, according to the Anadolija agency.

Jordanian King Abdullah emphasized that the two-state solution has no alternative.

He spoke by phone with Trump and told him that Jerusalem is the key to world security and stability, and warned him that a unilateral declaration of the city as the capital of Israel would have dangerous consequences.

The Middle East department at the State Department and numerous US ambassadors in that part of the world oppose Trump's intention, believing that it will worsen the security situation.

US intelligence assessments suggest that the move could provoke retaliation against Israel and US interests in the region.