At the Istanbul summit, Rouhani urges Muslim countries to unite against Israel

Tabnak – Days after US President Donald Trump declared his controversial decision to recognize al-Quds as the capital of Israel, Muslim leaders were gathered together at an extraordinary OIC meeting in Istanbul to unify their positions regarding the issue.

The extraordinary Islamic summit kicked off in Istanbul Wednesday morning with a meeting at the level of foreign ministers followed by a summit at the leadership level to discuss the US decision on Jerusalem/al-Quds.

Representatives from 57 OIC members have attended the summit, which is meant to coordinate a response to a US decision to recognize Jerusalem (al-Quds) as Israel’s capital. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was among the Muslim leaders who traveled to Istanbul to take part in the summit.

“Firstly the Palestinian state must be recognized by all other countries. We must all strive together for this,” the top Turkish diplomat, Mevlut Cavusoglu said in his opening speech. “We must encourage other countries to recognize the Palestinian state on the basis of its 1967 borders with East Jerusalem/al-Quds as its capital.”

In his address to the meeting, Iranian President strongly criticized the US decision to declare Holy Quds as the capital of the Zionist regime, stressing that Muslims should do everything possible to prevent it from happening.

“The Muslim states fortunately were quick in reacting to the approach of the US administration towards the Quds City and the formation of this Summit indicates the correct interpretation by Muslims of the incorrect act of the US president,” Rouhani said.

Rouhani also said that “the Islamic Republic of Iran stands ready to cooperate with each one of the Muslim countries to defend the holy Quds without any reservation or pre-condition.” He also said that attempts by certain regional countries to normalize ties with the Zionist regime of Israel prompted US President Donald Trump to take the decision.

"I believe that other than any other reason, the attempts of some countries to establish relations and even consultation and coordination with the Zionist regime have incited such a decision". 

“Instead of countering the threats of the Zionists, some countries in our region are aligned with the US and Zionists to prescribe the fate of Palestine—If such prescriptions are taken, the Zionists would permanently dominate the Palestinians,” he stressed.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced that the US was recognizing Jerusalem/al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” and tasked the State Department with making preparations for the relocation of Washington’s embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied Palestinian city.

The dramatic shift in Washington’s Jerusalem/al-Quds policy drew fierce criticism from the international community, including the United States’ Western allies, and triggered demonstrations against the US and Israel worldwide.