Arab League meets to discuss Brazil, Australia's decision on Jerusalem

The Arab League will send delegations to Australia and Brazil to try to dissuade their leaders from missteps on the status of the occupied city of Jerusalem, the bloc decided Tuesday, Anadolu Agency reports.

The announcement came in the conclusions from an Arab League emergency meeting at the delegate level in Cairo to discuss the Israeli escalation against the people of Palestine, as well as Australia’s announcement to consider West Jerusalem Israel’s capital and Brazil’s similar intentions.

The conclusion statement called on Arab ambassadors to Canberra and Rio de Janeiro to move diplomatically and politically to convey the Arab League’s message, stressing its intention to take political, diplomatic and economic measures against any steps affecting Jerusalem’s status.

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The league also called on Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to avoid any stances that undermine Jerusalem’s legal status, so as to preserve Brazil’s bonds of friendship and relations with Arab countries and its commitment to international law and support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

The league also condemned Australia’s decision on Jerusalem as biased towards the Israeli occupation and contrary to international law as well as international resolutions on the legal status of Jerusalem, said the statement.

The statement called on the Australian government to withdraw its decision, and also expressed support for measures by the State of Palestine in the International Court of Justice against any state that violates international law.