Muslim nations urge recognition of East Jerusalem as Palestinian capital
-
Loading... - Miley Levesque
- 13 Dec 2020
- 1489 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
The leaders of 57 Muslim nations have called on the world to recognise "the State of Palestine and East Jerusalem as its occupied capital".
An Organisation of Islamic Co-operation communique declares US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise the city as Israel's capital as "null and void".
It also says the move has signalled Washington's withdrawal from its role in the Middle East peace process.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas earlier said the UN should take over.
In a speech to the OIC summit in Istanbul, Mr Abbas said it would be "unacceptable" for the US to be the mediator "since it is biased in favour of Israel".
Mr Trump said his decision was nothing more than "a recognition of reality" and that he was not taking a position on the final status issues of any peace agreement.
The status of Jerusalem goes to the heart of Israel's conflict with the Palestinians.
The city is home to key religious sites sacred to Judaism, Islam and Christianity, especially in East Jerusalem.
Israel occupied the sector, previously occupied by Jordan, in the 1967 Middle East war and regards the entire city as its indivisible capital.
The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and its final status is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.
Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognised internationally, and all countries currently maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv. However, President Trump has announced that the US will eventually move its embassy.
'Impetus to extremism'
The communique issued by OIC member states says they reject the unilateral decision by the US to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital as "null and void legally" and consider it an "attack" on the rights of the Palestinian people.
They accuse the US of "deliberately undermining" peace efforts and warn that it has given "impetus to extremism and terrorism".
They say Washington will be held "fully liable for all the consequences of not retracting from this illegal decision" and that it has effectively announced its "withdrawal from its role as sponsor" of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
They then invite all countries to "recognise the State of Palestine and East Jerusalem as its occupied capital" and ask the UN to assume its responsibilities and reaffirm the city's legal position.
The BBC's Mark Lowen says there was tough talk earlier from Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who vowed to "stand up to American bullying" and called Israel "a state of terror".
But ultimately, our correspondent adds, some Muslim leaders are more pro-Trump than others - and there is little chance that this summit will change US policy.
