OIC condemns Guatemala's decision to move embassy to Jerusalem

2018-03-06 11:43:30

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) JEDDAH, March 6 (KUNA) -- The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has dismissed Guatemala's decision to move its embassy in Israel to the occupied Jerusalem as a violation of the relevant UN resolutions.

This illegal move violates the UN resolutions, especially No. 478, and UN General Assembly resolutions relative to Jerusalem which totally rejected any action that could change the historical and legal status of the city, the pan-Muslim organization said in a press statement Tuesday.

It noted that the OIC Secretary General Yousef Al-Othaimeen had sent a letter of protest to Guatemala's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sandra Jovel in this regard in January.

In his letter, Al-Othaimeen conveyed to Jovel the OIC's rejection of her country's illegal decision which encroaches on the rights of Palestinian people, enrages millions of Muslims and Christians around the world and shows support to the Israeli occupation of the holy city.

He called on the State of Guatemala to backpedal on its decision and to show commitment to its legal and political obligations stipulated by the international law and UN resolutions.

Al-Othaimeen demanded the Central American nation to embrace a stance that boosts international efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state vision to achieve peace in the region and the whole world.

On Sunday, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales announced at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual policy conference in Washington that his country would move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May in coincidence with a similar US move.

Last December, Morales said that he planned to make the move. He said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and instructed his foreign ministry to "initiate the process to make it possible." Guatemala is the first country to announce it would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem since President Trump in December recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital.(end) nh.ibi

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