Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said the United States can no longer play the role of peace broker after Donald Trump's decision on Wednesday to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, describing the holy city as “the eternal capital of the State of Palestine.”

Nuclear-armed Pakistan said it was "unequivocally opposed" to U.S. President Donald Trump's expected move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital Wednesday, with the world's second most populous Muslim country joining a global chorus of alarm.

President Donald Trump recognized the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital Wednesday -- a historic decision that overturns decades of U.S. policy and risks triggering a fresh spasm of violence in the Middle East.

"Israel is a sovereign nation with the right like every other sovereign nation to determine its own capital," the U.S. leader declared from the White House. "Acknowledging this as a fact is a necessary condition for achieving peace."

Libya on Wednesday launched a U.N.-brokered effort to hold elections in the strife-torn country with a campaign to register new voters.

Bolivia said Wednesday it will seek an emergency open door meeting of the U.N. Security Council if U.S. President Donald Trump moves forward with plans to transfer the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"If this decision is taken, it's a threat not just to the peace process, but also it's a threat to international peace and security," said envoy Sacha Soliz of Bolivia, which holds a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the council.

Israel' military on Wednesday declared its newly acquired F-35 stealth fighters operational, making it the first country outside of the United States to put the ultra hi-tech jets into service.

Sanaa residents were stocking up on goods and seeking urgent care Wednesday, fearing an impending resumption of hostilities after a showdown between Huthi rebels and loyalists of Yemen's slain ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani blasted his US counterpart Donald Trump's plan to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital on Wednesday, saying it would not be tolerated. 

The Syrian government warned on Wednesday of the "dangerous consequences" of US President Donald Trump's plan to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Pope Francis Wednesday defended the "status quo" of Jerusalem, hours ahead of an announcement by US President Donald Trump in which officials said he will recognise the disputed city as Israel's capital.