DONALD Trump officially announced the US will recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital in a 'declaration of WAR' amid global fury over the controversial announcement.
Speaking at the White House today, the US President said his announcement was nothing more than a "recognition of reality and the right thing to do, something that has to be done".
He announced that the United States will recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel after days of speculation.
And he directed the State Department to begin looking for a site for an embassy in Jerusalem, in a move from their existing site in Tel Aviv - a process which is expected to take years, although Trump has signed a six-month delay to the move.
READ MORE: 'IRRESPONSIBLE' Turkey condemns Trump Israel speech as protests break out across Istanbul
He also said he would remain deeply committed to helping facilitate a peace agreement acceptable to both Israelis and Palestinians depsite his announcement, adding "the United States would support a two state solution if agreed to by both sides".
But his announcement has been met with global condemnation, with the Tunisian Labour union UGTT declaring Trump’s speech as tantamount to a “declaration of war” as they called for mass protests across the middle east.
While a Hamas official called on Arab and Islamic states to "cut off economic and political ties with the US embassy and expel American ambassadors to cripple" the move.
The Islamist militant group also warned President Trump's decision will "open the gates of hell" on US interests in the Middle East.
Turkey's foreign ministry also condemned the decision as "irresponsible" and called on Washington to reconsider the move.
Several hundred protesters gathered outside the US consulate in Istanbul, threwing coins and other objects, as hundreds of others brandished Turkish flags during another rally at Fatih Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.
The foreign ministry said in a statement: "We condemn the irresponsible statement of the US administration... declaring that it recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and it will be moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
"We call upon the US Administration to reconsider this faulty decision which may result in highly negative outcomes and to avoid uncalculated steps that will harm the multicultural identity and historical status of Jerusalem."
Qatar's foreign minister described the decision as a "dangerous escalation and a death sentence for all who seek peace”.
Jordan has accused the US President of violating international law over Jerusalem while Iran has said it "seriously condemns" Washington's decision to shift the US embassy from Tel Aviv.
While even Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: “Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, including occupied Palestinian territory, is a reckless threat to peace.
“The British Government must condemn this dangerous act and work for a just and viable settlement of the conflict.”
Speaking at the White House this afternoon, Trump said the world is no closer to a lasting peace agreement in the region - adding recognising Jerusalem as the Israeli capital is "in the best interests of the US and the pursuit of peace between Israel and Palestinians."
He said: "Jerusalem is the heart of three great religions but also the heart of one of the most successful democracies in the world.
"Israeli people have built a country where people of all faiths are free to live and worship according to their beliefs.
"Jerusalem is today and must remain a place where Jews pray, where Christians walk and where Muslims worship."
Trump called his decision a "a long overdue" step to advance the peace process and added: "I have determined that it is time to officially recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today, I am delivering."
The Israeli minister Bennett was the first to react to Mr Trump’s speech, saying of the announcement: “Thanks US President, today is a shiny day for the Jewish people”.
And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also given his reaction to Donald Trump's speech, hailing the announcement as a "historic landmark".
He also called on other countries to follow Washington's lead and move their embassies to Jerusalem.
Israeli and American flags have been projected on a part of the walls surrounding Jerusalem's Old City ahead of the announcement.
But the move is a shocking break from established US policy and has been described as the “kiss of death” for a two-state solution by the Palestinian authorities.
And ahead of his speech this afternoon, the US State Department issued a cable to all its diplomatic posts worldwide on Wednesday asking its officials to defer non-essential travel to Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank until December 20.
The cable read: "Embassy Tel Aviv and Consulate General Jerusalem request that all non-essential visitors defer their travel to Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank from December 4 to December 20, 2017."
However Vice President Mike Pence will go to the middle east in the coming days, the President added to his speech depsite the warning from the State Department.
Jerusalem's status has been a stumbling block in decades of on-off Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.
Israel considers the city its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all embassies based there.
Palestinians want the capital of an independent Palestinian state to be in the city's eastern sector, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move never recognised internationally.
Ahead of his press appearance this afternoon, Donald Trump was bombarded with warnings from both Western and Arab allies who claimed the announcement could potentially threaten regional stability in an already conflicted area.
After the speech, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there was no alternative to a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians and that Jerusalem was a final-status issue that should be resolved through direct talks.
"I have consistently spoken out against any unilateral measures that would jeopardize the prospect of peace for Israelis and Palestinians," Guterres said after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
"In this moment of great anxiety, I want to make it clear: There is no alternative to the two-state solution. There is no Plan B.
"I will do everything in my power to support the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to return to meaningful negotiations."
The move has also been met with outrage from around the world.
A Palestinian envoy said the decision was a declaration of war in the Middle East as China and Russia expressed concern the plans could aggravate Middle East hostilities.
And after Mr Trump's speech, influential exiled Palestinian politician Mohammed Dahlan said on Wednesday Palestinians should reject any future peace talks and halt security coordination with Israel.
He said: "I call for withdrawal from the absurd and endless negotiations with Israel after the principle of inviolability of the status of Jerusalem has been breached.
"I call for ending all forms of coordination, especially security coordination, with Israel and USA."
Tonight the US embassy in London warned citizens of the need for "caution and personal awareness" in the wake of Donald Trump's Jerusalem announcement.