Arab League vows to seek international recognition of al-Quds as Palestine capital

The Arab League has vowed to seek international recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Palestine.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi made the announcement following a meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Palestine, and the United Arab Emirates in the Jordanian capital Amman on Saturday.

"There is a political decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and we will strive to reach an international political decision to recognize a Palestinian state... with (east) Jerusalem as its capital," said Safadi.

On December 6, Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital and relocate the US embassy in occupied lands from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds, a highly contentious move that triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco and other Muslim countries.
“We will confront the decision by seeking a UN resolution, an international one, to recognize a Palestinian state on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital,” Safadi added.

He went on to stress that based on international law, Jerusalem al-Quds is an occupied territory.

Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit added that an expanded meeting of the organization's foreign ministers over the issue would be held by the end of the month.

On December 18, 14 members of the 15-member UN Security Council voted in favor of an Egyptian-drafted resolution, which did not specifically name the US or Trump but expressed “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem," while US Ambassador Nikki Haley wielded Washington’s veto against the call, prompting the Palestinian government’s strong condemnation.

On December 21, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution that calls on the US to withdraw its controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the Israeli capital.