Canadians urged to exercise caution in Middle East ahead of protests
OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland added her voice to a chorus of global leaders appealing for calm in the Middle East on Wednesday in the wake of the Trump administration’s move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Canadians in the region were being urged to exercise caution around planned protests against the U.S. announcement, which included a process to relocate the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, upending decades of the U.S. policy.
By recognizing Israel’s claim to Jerusalem, Trump is seen by the Palestinians as siding with Israel on the most sensitive issue in the conflict. The Palestinians want east Jerusalem — which Israel captured in 1967 — for their capital.
But Trump declared it was time for a new approach to Mideast peace after decades of failure. Calling Jerusalem Israel’s capital, he argued, was merely recognizing the obvious.