Arab League Condemns Guatemala's Decision to Move Embassy to Jerusalem
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Arab League denounced on Monday a decision of Guatemalan authorities to relocate the country's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, the regional bloc's assistant undersecretary for Palestinian affairs, Dr. Saeed Abuali, said in a statement.
"Guatemala's announcement to move its embassy to Jerusalem is a flagrant violation of international laws and will further inflame tensions in the Arab region," Abuali said.
This comes as on Sunday Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales announced that Guatemala recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and would move its embassy to the holy city in May, two days after the United States makes the same move.
In December, US President Donald Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and instructed the US State Department to launch the process of moving the US Embassy, currently located in Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem. The step has prompted criticism from a number of states, first and foremost those in the Middle East and Palestine, and triggered a wave of protests in the region.
For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.
- Source : Sputnik
