Arab League meets to discuss recent Israeli escalations

CAIRO

The Arab League will send delegations to Australia and Brazil to try to dissuade their leaders from missteps on the status of the occupied city of Jerusalem, the bloc decided Tuesday.

The announcement came in the conclusions from an Arab League emergency meeting at the delegate level in Cairo to discuss the Israeli escalation against the people of Palestine, as well as Australia's announcement to consider West Jerusalem Israel’s capital and Brazil’s similar intentions.

The conclusion statement called on Arab ambassadors to Canberra and Rio de Janeiro to move diplomatically and politically to convey the Arab League’s message, stressing its intention to take political, diplomatic and economic measures against any steps affecting Jerusalem’s status.

The league also called on Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to avoid any stances that undermine Jerusalem’s legal status, so as to preserve Brazil’s bonds of friendship and relations with Arab countries and its commitment to international law and support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

The league also condemned Australia's decision on Jerusalem as biased towards the Israeli occupation and contrary to international law as well as international resolutions on the legal status of Jerusalem, said the statement.

The statement called on the Australian government to withdraw its decision, and also expressed support for measures by the State of Palestine in the International Court of Justice against any state that violates international law.

Escalating violence

According to Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, Palestine requested the emergency meeting to discuss a recent uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Within the last week, at least five Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces -- and dozens more were injured -- across the occupied West Bank.

Last Friday, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Association said the Israeli army had detained some 100 Palestinians throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem over a 48-hour period.

In an opening address to Arab League delegates broadcast on Egyptian satellite TV, Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Said Abu Ali warned against some states’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Abu Ali said the issue of Palestine would remain at the top of the league’s agenda.

“The Palestinian people are not forsaken, nor will they be,” he said.

On Saturday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced his country's decision to formally recognize West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Morrison said Australia would not move its embassy until peace is established between Israel and Palestine.

In November, Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro announced his intention to relocate his country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.