Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the second largest inter-governmental organization after the UN, have declared East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine, media reports said on Wednesday (Dec 13).
Leaders from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation recognized East Jerusalem as the occupied capital of a Palestinian state and called on the international community to do the same, according to the final communique from the group's emergency summit on Wednesday.
The group of mostly Muslim leaders had called an extraordinary meeting in Istanbul to discuss US President Donald Trump's controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital last week. Trump also announced that the US Embassy would be relocated from Tel Aviv to the holy city.
On Wednesday the OIC rejected Trump's move as "null and void" and said the President's "dangerous declaration" marked the US withdrawal from the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
The OIC largely comprises Muslim-majority countries. It was formed in 1969 following an arson attack on Jersulam's al-Aqsa mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam.
Iran, Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait, were among the countries that sent their heads of state to Wednesday's meeting. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were represented by their foreign affairs ministers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the OIC communique on Wednesday evening. "All of these statements do not impress us," he said. "In the end, the truth will win and others will recognize -- many countries will recognize -- Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and will also move their embassies."
