Abbas at OIC: We Will Seek UNSC to Annul US Recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's Capital

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) watches as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, gestures as he talks during the closing news conference following the OIC Extraordinary Summit in Istanbul, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017.

Jerusalem, MINA – President Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday said the Palestinians will seek the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)to invalidate the US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

He said in a press release with the Turkish President Recep Erdogan and the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Yousef Al-Othaimeen that according to the United Nation’s charter Palestinians can request a vote on an issue that the US cannot vote on.

The article states that “decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting.”

“We will go to the Security Council to annul the announcement of US President Donald Trump recognition in Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” he affirmed.

He stressed that this summit is considered one of the most important Islamic summits that took place and dealt with a subject of utmost significance; the importance of Jerusalem and the decision of the United States of America to transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognize it as the capital of Israel.

Abbas said: “This decision is contrary to United Nations resolutions, especially the Security Council resolutions approved by the US, which prohibit the transfer of embassies to Jerusalem. Yet, the US has decided to move its embassy, ??which provoked violent reactions and demonstrations throughout the world.”

“We will also address the General Assembly and the Security Council in order to obtain full membership of the state of Palestine,” he said.

Abbas stressed that the US is no longer an honest broker for peace, and their involvement will not be accepted by Arabs and Muslims. “We will not accept a mediator that does not meet the simplest conditions to be qualified as an honest and unbiased mediator.”

He called on the Arab and Islamic world to visit Jerusalem and strengthen its position. “We must protect Jerusalem by supporting its people and keeping them steadfast in a time when Israel wants them all out. Jerusalem is not just stones.”

Abbas thanked all those who stood with the Palestinians starting with Pope Francis and all Christian spiritual leaders, saying: “Muslims and Christians pray together in Jerusalem, with the Quran and the Bible as an expression of the unity of the people and this country.” (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)