Jordan’s King cancels Romania visit over its position on Jerusalem recognition

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has cancelled a visit to Romania to protest against its prime minister’s support for recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The Royal Hashemite Court said on Monday that the decision came “in solidarity with Jerusalem”.

Abdullah was scheduled to visit Romania later in the day.

On Sunday, Romanian prime minister Viorica Dancila told a conference in Washington that her country was moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

However, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, a rival who is in charge of the East European nation’s foreign policy, said the prime minister had not consulted with him over the decision.

Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital.

Palestinians seek east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967, as their capital.

Jordan is the custodian of Muslim holy sites in east Jerusalem’s Old City.