Decision makes Middle East peace a more remote prospect

By recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday and ordering preparations for moving the US embassy there, US President Donald Trump defied the will of the majority of countries, and not for the first time.

On June 1, he declared that the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement to which the US was one of the 195 signatories.

In announcing his explosive decision on Wednesday, Trump claimed it to be in the best interests of the US and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. "This is a long-overdue step to advance the peace process and to work towards a lasting agreement," he said.