CAIRO, Jan 17 (KUNA) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday Jerusalem would remain an eternal capital of Palestine, pointing to long-standing challenges Palestinian people are facing.
Addressing a conference held in Cairo to support Jerusalem in the aftermath of a recent US move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, the Palestinian leader: "There is a great conspiracy that targets Jerusalem, including its religious, historic, human and cultural values and meanings." Arab, Muslim and international dignitaries are participating in Al-Azhar International Conference in Support of Jerusalem, which kicked off in Cairo today.
Abbas again lashed out at US President Donald Trump's recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city as "sinful" and "ill-fated".
He added that the US has disqualified itself from acting as a broker in long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, a role America has had for decades.
The Palestinian leader said Palestinians would use all options in order to defend their just cause, excluding terrorism and violence, while calling for finding more objective and fairer regional and international references for the Palestinian issue.
Al-Azhar-organized conference adopts the motto of "World Conference in Support of Jerusalem" and attracts prominent national, regional and international figures, mainly the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Tawadros II.
On December 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump made a controversial decision recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The US move triggered off wide-scale regional and international criticisms and condemnations. (Pick up previous) rg.mt