OIC mulling measures against countries following US move on Jerusalem

The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has vowed to take "all necessary steps" to prevent other countries from following the US example of moving their Israel embassies to Jerusalem.

The move on Friday came after the group held an extraordinary summit in Istanbul upon the call of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in response to the US inauguration of its embassy in Jerusalem and the killings of more than 60 Palestinian protestors by Israeli forces on Monday, Xinhua reported.

Citing Guatemala which has followed suit, the final communique adopted at the conclusion of the meeting voiced "determination to take the appropriate political, economic and other measures against countries which recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel or relocate their embassies thereto."

"Countries running for international posts seeking the OIC's support for their candidature will be assessed based on their positions regarding the Palestine question, in particular on Jerusalem," said the final communique.

In the document, the group is calling for "necessary action" against member states failing to comply with OIC resolutions on the Palestinian cause.

Declaring the Israeli use of deadly force against unarmed Palestinians as "savage crimes," the group called for an international protection of the Palestinians, urging member states as well as the international community to ban the import of products made in Israeli settlements built on the occupied land.

Reaffirming its rejection of US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the OIC called the embassy relocation move an act of "provocation and hostility" against the Muslim community.

"Sending international peace force to Palestinians who sacrifice young children every day to Israeli terror is imperative," Turkish President Erdogan said at a press conference.

"Responsibility for consequences of this provocative decision to sabotage the peace process entirely belongs to the US," he added.

--IANS

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