Turkey's opposition party deputy supports OIC meeting

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Turkey's opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy voiced support for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call for an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Dec. 13 to discuss the U.S. move on Jerusalem.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, former secretary general of OIC, said that Palestine and Jerusalem were the main issues for discussion at the meeting.

Ihsanoglu said that he had made sure during his term that Palestine was not just dealt with only as a political issue, but also an economic, social and cultural issue.

Voicing support for Erdogan's call as term president for the OIC meeting, he said: "This is a very important diplomatic step."

"Not only condemnations should pour out about the move, but also some concrete measures should be taken," he said.

Ihsanoglu said that 56 out of 190 countries in the UN General Assembly were Muslim countries.

"They are also member of OIC and they have the right to vote. A UN General Assembly meeting should be called," said Ihsanoglu.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the contested city, despite widespread international opposition.

Jerusalem remains at the core of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- now occupied by Israel -- might serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Ahead of his election last year, Trump repeatedly promised to relocate the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.