*CAIRO: Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit on Monday blasted as “shameful”countries that are celebrating the opening of the US embassy in Israel inthe disputed holy city of Jerusalem.*
“It is shameful to see countries participating with the US and Israel incelebrating the former’s embassy move to occupied Jerusalem in a clear andgrave violation of international law and (UN) Security Councilresolutions,” said Abul Gheit.
Speaking in Cairo, where the Arab League is based, he called on allcountries to “refrain from taking any step that would harm the rights ofthe Palestinian people.”
The status of Jerusalem — home to Muslim, Jewish and Christian places ofworship — is perhaps the thorniest issue in the decades-longIsraeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel considers the entire city its capital, while the Palestinians seeeast Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Monday’s ceremony included around 800 guests, though not US PresidentDonald Trump whose decision to move the embassy has sparked deadly violence.
Abul Gheit said the move “represents an extremely dangerous step” and “Idon’t think the American administration realises its real implications inthe short and long terms”.
“The Palestinian side feels that the United States has abandoned itshistoric role as a credible mediator in this conflict, after Washingtonunfortunately revealed full bias towards the Israeli positions whichconsistently contradict international legitimacy and law.”
The Arab League will hold emergency talks Wednesday to discuss Washington’s“illegal” decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a seniorofficial said earlier.
The meeting would focus on “ways of countering the illegal decision by theUnited States to move the embassy to Jerusalem”, said Saeed Abu Ali, theorganisation’s deputy secretary general for Palestinian affairs.
He told reporters the permanent representatives of members of the ArabLeague would meet “at the request of the state of Palestine”.
Jordan denounced the embassy move as a “clear violation” of the UN charter.
In a statement, it also “condemned” a unilateral decision by Trump torecognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite Palestinian claims topart of the city.
In the hours leading up to the inauguration, at least 37 Palestinians werekilled by Israeli fire along the Gaza border, the Gaza health ministrysaid, as mass protests and clashes erupted against the embassy transfer.
The clashes took place as a White House delegation and Israeli officialsgathered for the embassy inauguration ceremony in Jerusalem. It was thebloodiest day in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since a 2014 Gaza war. -APP/AFP