Arab League urges Australia to recognize Palestine

CAIRO

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit on Sunday called on Australia to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.

The call came one day after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison formally recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

"The Australian declaration, which includes the recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, was disturbing as it clashes with international law and inalienable Palestinian rights,” Aboul-Gheit said in statements carried by Egypt’s official MENA news agency.

"I call on the Australian government to correct its position and recognize the state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital without delay," he said.

"This way we will consider the Australian position balanced," Aboul-Gheit said.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the decades-long Middle East conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might one day serve as the capital of a Palestinian state.

Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump triggered world outcry when he unilaterally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and he relocated the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv to the occupied city in May.