Alwaght- Turkey has condemned the US plan to move its embassy in Tel Aviv to al-Quds (Jerusalem) in May, saying the move violates international law and undermines peace efforts in the region.
In a statement released on its website, the Turkish ministry accused the US of disregarding resolutions passed by the United Nations and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which condemned the proposed embassy move.
"The US government's announcement that it will move its embassy in Tel Aviv to al-Quds in May shows that it insists on destroying the grounds for peace by violating international law, United Nations Security Council resolutions on al-Quds and the established UN parameters,” the statement said.
Ankara went on to state that its ally, Washington, “shows that it has not heard the voices of the international community’s conscience.”
“Despite the extremely worrying nature of this decision taken by the US, Turkey will continue the exert effort to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people along with the overwhelming majority of the international community.”
The US State Department said on Friday it would open an embassy in al-Quds in May to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Israeli entity on occupied Palestinian territories. The regime's premier Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the US announcement as “a great day.”
On December 6, President Donald Trump said that the United States would recognize al-Quds as Israeli entity's capital, and planned on moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to the contested holy city. The decision sparked international outrage as well as bloody demonstrations.
That same month, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on al-Quds by an overwhelming majority, calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the city as Israeli regime's capital.
A total of 128 members voted in favor of the al-Quds resolution, nine countries voted against and 35 others abstained.
Al-Quds remains at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians maintaining that the city is the undisputed capital of a future Palestinian state.
