Head of Gaza support committee calls for closure of US embassies

Essam Yousef, the head of the Global Committee to Support Gaza, called on Wednesday for Arab and Muslim countries to close US embassies in their capital cities following Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Safa news agency has reported. Yousef also called on the Palestine Liberation Organisation to rescind its formal recognition of Israel, and stressed that all Arab and Muslim states should withdraw any delegations that they might have in Israel.

“Israel’s Arab citizens should demonstrate in front of the US Embassy in Tel Aviv in protest at this decision,” said the veteran campaigner for Palestinian rights. “It is also important for permanent protests to be established in front of US embassies in capitals around the region.”

Trump’s announcement, explained Yousef, is an “act of aggression” against the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims. “Jerusalem is at the heart of the issue for all Arabs and Muslims, who will defend their holy places,” he insisted.

Denouncing this “international conspiracy,” Dr Yousef suggested that Arab and Muslim states should withdraw their representatives from the UN, as well as their ambassadors from the United States, in an act of solidarity and protest.

Read: US sends Marines to secure embassies in Middle East