The extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the issue of Jerusalem kicked off in Istanbul on Wednesday.
The summit brings together delegates from 48 countries. The presidents of Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Palestine, Ghana, Iran, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Lebanon, Somali, Sudan, Togo, Jordan and Yemen are taking part in the summit.
Delegates from Russia and China are also present at the OIC summit in the status of observers.
The summit began with a recitation of verses from Holy Quran.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the OIC and the world to recognise occupied East Jerusalem as the “capital of Palestine”.
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Erdogan opened in Istanbul an emergency summit of the world’s main pan-Islamic body the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), seeking to marshal Muslim leaders towards a coordinated response to the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has warned that peace in the Arab world is impossible till such a move was made.
Abbas warned that the United States has lost its role as the mediator in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians as a result of the move by US President Donald Trump.
Erdogan, who regards himself a champion of the Palestinian cause, described Israel as a state defined by “occupation” and “terror”.
“With this decision, Israel was rewarded for all the terrorist activities it has carried out. It is Trump who bestowed this award,” he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Dec. 5. In a speech at the White House, Trump said his administration would also begin a process of moving the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is expected to take years.
