Arab League rejects Trump's decision on Jerusalem as Israeli capital

APD NEWS

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Arab and Muslim leaders rejected US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The Arab League described the move as dangerous and warned of violent consequences.

Right after Trump's announcement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held a telephone conversation. The Egyptian leader said the move violates international resolutions on the legal status of the city. Palestinian officials describe it as Trump's biggest mistake, warning that it will fuel extremism.

"We used to look to the United States as the primary mediator for peace talks. Now it has made a biased move in favor of Israel. So Trump has taken away that broker role from the US. The country also hosts the United Nations and it's one of the five nations with veto powers. With this decision, America has kick-started the destruction of the current world order, because it's violated UN Security Council resolutions on Jerusalem," Secretary General Mohamed Ghareb of the Palestinian Fatah Group said.

US President Donald Trump holds up a signed memorandum after he delivered a statement on Jerusalem from the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Dec. 6, 2017.

In Egypt, there are calls for protests. Petitions to keep Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital are circulating on social media.

"We don't want sentimental stances that involve statements of condemnation alone. But at the same time, we don't want people to declare war on America. We have always supported peace and will continue to do so. However, we encourage a unified Arab and Islamic response that matches the magnitude of the violation of our historic, legal and human rights in Jerusalem," Ghareb explained.

The Arab League has warned of the impact on the Middle East peace process. Palestine and Jordan have called for an emergency meeting of foreign ministers this weekend to come up with a unified Arab response.

With this decision, President Trump has defied UN Security Council resolutions and warnings from other leaders. Many in the Arab world fear the reaction from Arab nations won't be a match for the US, which could make Jerusalem permanently beyond their reach.

(CGTN)