Turkish business body backs OIC's Jerusalem declaration

By Mucahid Eker

ISTANBUL

Turkey's one of the largest business associations announced Thursday that it fully supports the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Istanbul declaration, which recognized East Jerusalem as Palestine's capital.

Abdurrahman Kaan, president of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MUSIAD), issued a statement over the OIC's declaration on Wednesday.

"It is not a question of stepping back from the ideal of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Kaan said.

Kaan called “unacceptable” the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

"While our Palestinian fellows are today exposed to inhuman treatment without any legal basis, there can be no legal, human or conscientious account of Israel's being given such a trump card.

"We, as Muslims and Muslim business people, stood against this atrocity and we will continue to stand against it," he said.

Kaan called on the international community to react to the occupation of Jerusalem.

The extraordinary OIC summit and final declaration came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate Washington’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The OIC is the second-largest inter-governmental body after the United Nations, with its 57 member states spread over four continents.

It was established during a historic summit in Rabat, Morocco in 1969 following an arson attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.