Arab bloc demands UN cancel decision on Jerusalem

Arab foreign ministers called on Washington to withdraw its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, stressing that the US move would only increase violence in the region.

Emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers - Photo: REUTERS

US President Donald Trump's statement "is a dangerous violation of international law" and is legally invalid, the Arab League stressed in a statement late on December 9. All members of the bloc attended the meeting in Cairo, Egypt a few hours earlier.

Mr. Trump's move only "increases tensions, fuels anger and pushes the region into violence and chaos," the Arab League's statement at 3 a.m. on December 10 (local time) criticized.

The bloc said it would seek a UN Security Council resolution to overturn the US decision.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, at an emergency meeting of the Arab League on December 9, even demanded that Arab countries consider "economic sanctions" against the US to prevent it from moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

“Preemptive measures must be taken, starting from diplomatic to political, then economic and financial,” Gebran Bassil suggested.

The subsequent statement by the Arab League, however, made no mention of US sanctions.

On December 7, President Trump reversed the 22-year stance of previous administrations when he officially recognized Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel and moved the embassy to this city.

Mr. Trump's decision has faced opposition and criticism from the international community, including America's allies.

Jerusalem, which is under de facto Israeli control, is claimed by both Israel and Palestine as its capital but is not internationally recognized.

Under the 1947 partition plan for the Palestinian mandate, Jerusalem was to be placed under special UN administration. This plan never came to fruition over the past 70 years.

The city of Jerusalem is not only politically significant but also the meeting place of three major religions of the world.

According to tuoitre.vn