JERUSALEM — Vociferous Arab and Muslim opposition was building Tuesday to US recognition of contested Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, as European leaders expressed concern about harm to fragile Mideast peace efforts.
Jerusalem is home to the third-holiest shrine of Islam, along with the holiest site in Judaism and major Christian holy sites. It forms the combustible center of the Israeli-Arab conflict. Any perceived harm to Muslim claims to the city has triggered large-scale protests in the past, both in the Holy Land and across the region.
Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, the head of the Arab League, urged the United States to reconsider any recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Such a step would be a ‘‘dangerous measure that would have repercussions’’ across the region, he said during a Cairo meeting of Arab League representatives.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told parliament that US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was a ‘‘red line’’ and that Turkey’s response ‘‘could go as far as us cutting diplomatic ties with Israel.’’
Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett played down the threat, saying that ‘‘at the end of the day it is better to have a united Jerusalem than Erdogan’s sympathy.’’
Majdi Khaldi, diplomatic adviser of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital could end Washington’s role as mediator between Israelis and Palestinians.
‘‘If the Americans recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, then this would mean they decided, on their own, to distance themselves from efforts to make peace and that they will have no credibility or role in this issue,’’ Khaldi told the Associated Press in perhaps the most sharply worded comments yet by a Palestinian official.
Should recognition occur, ‘‘we will stop our contacts with them because such a step goes against our existence and against the fate of our cause,’’ Khaldi said. ‘‘It targets Muslims and Christians alike.’’
Palestinian political factions led by Abbas’ Fatah movement called for daily protest marches this week, starting Wednesday.
Key Washington ally Saudi Arabia also spoke out strongly against such a possible step. Saudi Arabia, a regional powerhouse, is crucial to any White House plans to promote a possible Mideast peace deal.
Saudi Arabia expressed its ‘‘grave and deep concern’’ about possible recognition.
In a statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the Foreign Ministry said that the kingdom affirms the rights of Palestinian people regarding Jerusalem.
On Monday, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, which has 57 member states, said US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would constitute ‘‘naked aggression’’ against the Muslim and Arab world.
In Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron said he reminded Trump in a phone call Monday night that the fate of Jerusalem should be determined in negotiations on setting up a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Macron said Tuesday that he expressed concern about unilateral US moves and that he agreed with Trump ‘‘to speak again shortly on this subject.’’
Material from The New York Times was used in this report.
