Erdogan Calls On World to Recognize Al-Quds as Palestinian Capital

Local Editor

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the meeting of leaders and ministers from more than 50 Muslim countries that Washington's recognition of al-Quds as ‘Israel's' ‘capital' is a reward for ‘Israeli' terror acts, adding the city was a red line for Muslims.

Erdogan called on world powers to recognize al-Quds as the capital of Palestine on Wednesday and said the United States should reverse a decision to recognize the city as "Israel's" capital.

Addressing a summit of Muslim leaders in Istanbul, Erdogan described Washington's decision last week as a reward for ‘Israeli' terror acts and said the city was a red line for Muslims.

The meeting of leaders and ministers from more than 50 Muslim countries takes place a week after US President Donald Trump's move on al-Quds, which triggered widespread protests in the Middle East and Islamic world.

"Firstly, the Palestinian state must be recognized by all other countries. We must all strive together for this," Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in opening remarks to a pre-summit meeting.

"We must encourage other countries to recognize the Palestinian state on the basis of its 1967 borders with east Jerusalem [al-Quds] as its capital."

Cavusoglu said the OIC nations "are here to say 'stop' to tyranny," telling the gathered representatives that the US decision aims to "legitimize ‘Israel's' attempt to occupy Jerusalem."

"They expect the Islamic nation to remain silent," he said. "But we will never be silent. This bullying eliminates the possibility of peace and the grounds for shared life. The US' decision is null for us. "

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team