Viewpoint: Flashpoint of Jerusalem hangs over Trump - Netanyahu meeting

Sensitivities over Jerusalem and its holy places loom large as the US president and Netanyahu are due to meet tomorrow - Jonathan Cook, writes in his blog The View from Nazareth.

Often described as the powder-keg issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Jerusalem was expected to loom large in Wednesday's meeting in Washington between Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two have major issues to address, including Israeli settlement expansion and the nuclear deal with Iran. But even these matters are likely to be overshadowed by their discussion of Jerusalem's status. Tensions about the city's future are high, given that Trump has vowed to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that would implicitly recognise the city as Israel's capital.

Trump's pick for US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, a hardline supporter of the settlers, is reported to have said he intends to work from Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu's government, meanwhile, has announced a lifting of restrictions on settlement expansion, apparently confident that it will face no backlash from Washington. Shortly after Trump's inauguration last month, Israeli officials unveiled plans for more than 560 new homes in occupied East Jerusalem.

- See more at: www.jonathan-cook.net/2017-02-13/trump-israel-flashpoint-jerusalem-white-house-meeting/#sthash.wa3XqH5D.dpuf