Muslim Leaders Convene, Discuss Al-Quds at OIC Emergency Summit in Istanbul
Local Editor
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation [OIC] convenes an urgent summit in Istanbul on Washington's contentious declaration on al-Quds, with the Turkish foreign minister urging Muslim nations to respond by pressing the world for the recognition of the city as the capital of a Palestinian state.
Representatives from 57 OIC members are attending the summit, which is meant to coordinate a response to a US decision to recognize al-Quds as ‘Israel's' so-called capital.
"Firstly the Palestinian state must be recognized by all other countries. We must all strive together for this," top Turkish diplomat, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said. "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."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, Jordanian King Abdullah II and Lebanese President Michel Aoun will be among the participants. The level of Saudi representation, however, is still unclear.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced that the US was recognizing al-Quds as ‘Israel's' so-called capital and tasked the State Department with making preparations for the relocation of Washington's embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied Palestinian city.
The dramatic shift in Washington's al-Quds policy drew fierce criticism from the international community, including the United States' Western allies, and triggered demonstrations against the US and the Zionist entity worldwide.
For his part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who assumes the rotating presidency of the OIC summit, said earlier that Washington is a "partner to bloodshed" and violence that may spark in the Middle East region, stressing that the "struggle" of Muslims would not end until there was an independent Palestinian state.
Erdogan has also described ‘Israel' as a "terrorist entity," "killer of children" and an "oppressive and occupation" regime.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
Comments
- Related News
Turkey’s Erdogan: Bibi Must Be Charged by ICC
4 months ago
Erdogan Urges ‘Israel’ To End Its ‘Madness’
5 months ago