News / Palestine

Muslims mull emergency meetings on Trump's move against al-Quds

Monday, 04 December 2017 6:47 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 04 December 2017 7:08 AM ]

A picture taken with a smartphone using panoramic mode on December 1, 2017 shows a view of Jerusalem al-Quds from the Mount of Olives. (Photo by AFP)

Jordan has initiated a diplomatic campaign to mobilize Arab and Muslim states against an expected US move to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital.

President Donald Trump reportedly plans to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israel in a speech on Wednesday in an apparent bid to offset his pledge to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city.

A senior Jordanian diplomatic source said Amman, the current president of the Arab League, would invite members of the Arab summit and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene an emergency meeting if the recognition is extended.

Member countries are to "discuss ways of dealing with the consequences of such a decision that raised alarm and concern," the source said.

The diplomatic source said Trump's decision "could ultimately hamper all efforts to get the peace process moving and holds a very high risk of provoking Arab and Muslim countries and Muslim communities in the West."

The entire Jerusalem al-Quds is currently under Israel’s control while the regime also claims the city’s eastern part which hosts the third holiest Muslim site.

The city has been designated as “occupied” under international law since the 1967 Arab War, which Palestinians want as the capital of their future state.

Jordan is the custodian of Jerusalem al-Quds’ Muslim holy sites, making Amman sensitive to any changes of status of the occupied city.

"It is essential no unilateral decisions are made that would change the historic status quo of Jerusalem [al-Quds] as an occupied city whose fate needs to be determined in final status talks within an overall peace package," the Jordanian source said.

Trump’s controversial declaration on Sunday drew criticism from the Palestinian Authority, with the PA President Mahmoud Abbas warning that any change in US policy on Jerusalem al-Quds would seriously undermine peace efforts and harm Palestine’s interests.

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