SHAFAQNA – Press TV: Honduras and Nauru, the tiny Pacific Ocean island state, have been called by the Arab Parliament to reconsider their decisions on recognizing occupied Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israel.
The speaker of the legislative body of the Arab League, Mishaal bin Fahm al-Salami, on Monday, voiced “full rejection for Honduras’ decision to open a trade office with diplomatic status in al-Quds and Nauru’s recognition of the occupied city as the capital of Israel.”
“Such irresponsible decisions and measures blatantly violate international law and are categorically rejected by the Arab peoples,” Salami stressed in a statement.
The statement noted that any decision meant to change the status quo of occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds is “legally ineffective and considered null and invalid.”
It called on the two countries to abide by the United Nations resolutions concerning the historical and legal status of East Jerusalem al-Quds.
Honduras on Sunday opened a trade mission with diplomatic status in Jerusalem al-Quds – a move the Latin American country’s president said was a “first step” toward moving the embassy to the city.
Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez had said in March that he would open a trade office in Jerusalem al-Quds, calling the city “the capital of Israel.”
Late last month, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said it would file a complaint at the United Nations against Honduras.
The ministry condemned the Honduran president’s decision to inaugurate the diplomatic office in the disputed holy city as “direct aggression against the Palestinian people and their rights, and a flagrant violation of international law and resolutions.”
It said that it would ask Arab League member states to condemn the move, and push for punitive measures against Honduras for disregard of its obligations under Security Council resolutions, which condemn the recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital and slam the transfer of embassies from Tel Aviv to the holy city.
The ministry noted that Palestinian officials would also contact the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) General Secretariat for the same purpose, and demand a trade boycott action against Honduras.
US President Donald Trump sparked controversy by officially recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as the Israeli capital in December 2017, before moving his country’s embassy there from Tel Aviv in May 2018.
Guatemala and Paraguay later followed in Washington’s footstep, before the latter reversed its decision after just four months.
Israel lays claim to the entire Jerusalem al-Quds, but the international community views the city’s eastern sector as occupied territory and Palestinians consider it the capital of their future state.
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