US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital ‘null and void,’ says Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia denounced on Friday the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The move is enough to cause “tension” in the Middle East and weaken the chances of finding a comprehensive solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict, said the Kingdom’s representative at the UN Security Council.

Abdullah Bin Al-Maalami made his comment during a discussion of the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue. “The UN stressed that all Israeli measures regarding Jerusalem are null and void, and have no basis in international law,” he reiterated.

The Saudi official pointed out that the Israeli measures meant by the UN include Israeli control of the holy city’s future, the displacement of its indigenous residents, the building of [illegal] settlements, confiscating land and property, harassing Jerusalem’s Palestinian residents and declaring the city as Israel’s capital.

Read: Saudi offers Abu Dis as future capital of Palestine

The Arab Peace Initiative, introduced by Saudi Arabia in 2002, was presented to stress on the world that the Arabs and Muslims want peace through an end to the Israeli occupation of Arab lands, added Al-Maalami. These lands include the Syrian Golan Heights, parts of Southern Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem.

America’s planned move of its Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, concluded the Saudi diplomat, is as null and void as the Israeli occupation, and will cause tension in the whole Middle East.