Arab Parliament calls for urgent Arab Summit against US Jerusalem decision

CAIRO, Dec 11 (KUNA) -- The Arab Parliament called on Monday for holding an urgent Arab summit in order to rally as much support as possible towards ending Israeli occupation of Palestine and its capital, Jerusalem.
The Arab Parliament, in a statement following an urgent session to discuss ramifications of the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and transfer of American embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied city, held Washington responsible for impacts of the decision on international peace and security.
The State of Palestine has full sovereignty over territories occupied in 1967 including Jerusalem, the Arab MPs said.
They called on the UN Security Council and UN General Assembly to annul the US decision, and affirm the legal status of Jerusalem.
They said the UN should take the lead in the peace process because the US "has become a dishonest and unacceptable" mediator.
The Arab MPs, who praised worldwide rejection of the US decision, called on UN cultural agency (UNESCO) to confront the American move by highlighting historic, cultural and civilizational links between Jerusalem on one side, and Muslims and Christians on the other.
The Arab Parliament, which reiterated Jordan's guardianship of Islamic and Christian sites in Jerusalem, called for strengthening unity of the Palestinian people.
It reaffirmed commitment to the 2002 Arab peace initaitive, principles of international law and relevant UN resolutions regarding occupied East Jerusalem, which was an integral part of the Palestinian lands occupied in 1967.
The US decision, said the Arab MPs, aimed at changing legal status of Jerusalem and challenging UN resolutions.
They formed teams to visit African and European parliaments to rally further support against the US decision.
They called for coordination between the Arab Parliament, Palestine National Council, the Arab League Palestine department to prepare a legal document that refuted the US decision, and distribute the document in Arab, regional and international conferences.
They called for supporting efforts of the Arab Group in the UN to prepare a UN draft resolution rejecting the US decision.
The Arab Parliament also called for standing against the Israeli candidacy to the UN Security Council in 2019-20.
The Arab MPs called for including the cause of Jerusalem in curricula, and urged Arab societies to boycott American goods. (pickup previous) ms.esm.bs