29 dec 2017
Qatar called on all countries to suspend diplomatic delegations to occupied Jerusalem, and adhere to UN Security Council decisions.
The statement was issued Wednesday during the meeting of ministers council held at the Emiri Diwan in Doha, chaired by Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The Minister of Justice, Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Hassan bin Lahdan al-Mohannadi, said, after the meeting, that the council “welcomed the decision of the United Nations General Assembly issued on December 21, which affirmed the invalidity of any decisions and measures aimed at changing the character of Jerusalem.”
According to Al Ray, the Qatari council called on all countries to refrain from sending diplomatic missions to occupied Jerusalem, comply with Security Council resolutions concerning the city, and to refrain from recognizing any measures contrary to these resolutions.
Qatar expressed its hope that the international community would translate this resolution into practical steps to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace on the basis of the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab peace initiative, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
On December 6, US President Donald Trump announced occupied Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that he will transfer his country’s embassy to it, sparking anger around the world.
Up to initiative of Turkey and Yemen, the United Nations General Assembly passed, last Thursday, a resolution that considered the question of Jerusalem in the final status issue, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions.
The UN resolution also requires all states to refrain from establishing diplomatic missions in Jerusalem pursuant to Security Council Resolution 478 of 1980.
The statement was issued Wednesday during the meeting of ministers council held at the Emiri Diwan in Doha, chaired by Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The Minister of Justice, Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Hassan bin Lahdan al-Mohannadi, said, after the meeting, that the council “welcomed the decision of the United Nations General Assembly issued on December 21, which affirmed the invalidity of any decisions and measures aimed at changing the character of Jerusalem.”
According to Al Ray, the Qatari council called on all countries to refrain from sending diplomatic missions to occupied Jerusalem, comply with Security Council resolutions concerning the city, and to refrain from recognizing any measures contrary to these resolutions.
Qatar expressed its hope that the international community would translate this resolution into practical steps to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace on the basis of the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab peace initiative, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
On December 6, US President Donald Trump announced occupied Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that he will transfer his country’s embassy to it, sparking anger around the world.
Up to initiative of Turkey and Yemen, the United Nations General Assembly passed, last Thursday, a resolution that considered the question of Jerusalem in the final status issue, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions.
The UN resolution also requires all states to refrain from establishing diplomatic missions in Jerusalem pursuant to Security Council Resolution 478 of 1980.
Describing London as the city of “tolerance, acceptance and diversity,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan, however, on Wednesday, said that President Donald Trump is not welcome.
Khan’s written statement came after the London Assembly asked him how the city’s government would prepare for an official state visit from Trump.
“As Mayor, I will always speak up to protect the interests and security of Londoners. I have previously called on Theresa May to cancel her ill-judged offer of a state visit to President Trump,” Khan said.
“After the latest incident, where President Trump used Twitter to promote a vile, extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country, it is clear that any official visit here would not be welcomed,” he added.
Despite an online row with Prime Minister Theresa May, Trump is expected to pay an official visit to Britain and to hold talks with her in February, according to Days of Palestine.
Trump’s retweeting, last month, of three anti-Muslim videos taken from the Twitter feed of a member of the far-right Britain First group caused outrage in the UK and led to senior politicians speaking out against any visit.
May described Trump’s re-tweets as “wrong,” which led to Trump telling her to “focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism” in Britain.
She refused to cancel the trip despite widespread condemnation, including Khan, who said Trump had promoted a “vile, extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country.”
Khan stated that the British people including himself, love both America and Americans but Trump’s recent comments contradict Britain’s stance on racism and hatred.
“London is a beacon of tolerance, acceptance and diversity, and Trump has demonstrated time and time again that his views are completely incompatible with the values Londoners hold dear,” Khan noted.
Trump is also expected to attend the opening of the new US embassy in Battersea, southwest London, but no date has been set.
Khan’s written statement came after the London Assembly asked him how the city’s government would prepare for an official state visit from Trump.
“As Mayor, I will always speak up to protect the interests and security of Londoners. I have previously called on Theresa May to cancel her ill-judged offer of a state visit to President Trump,” Khan said.
“After the latest incident, where President Trump used Twitter to promote a vile, extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country, it is clear that any official visit here would not be welcomed,” he added.
Despite an online row with Prime Minister Theresa May, Trump is expected to pay an official visit to Britain and to hold talks with her in February, according to Days of Palestine.
Trump’s retweeting, last month, of three anti-Muslim videos taken from the Twitter feed of a member of the far-right Britain First group caused outrage in the UK and led to senior politicians speaking out against any visit.
May described Trump’s re-tweets as “wrong,” which led to Trump telling her to “focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism” in Britain.
She refused to cancel the trip despite widespread condemnation, including Khan, who said Trump had promoted a “vile, extremist group that exists solely to sow division and hatred in our country.”
Khan stated that the British people including himself, love both America and Americans but Trump’s recent comments contradict Britain’s stance on racism and hatred.
“London is a beacon of tolerance, acceptance and diversity, and Trump has demonstrated time and time again that his views are completely incompatible with the values Londoners hold dear,” Khan noted.
Trump is also expected to attend the opening of the new US embassy in Battersea, southwest London, but no date has been set.
27 dec 2017
US Ambassador to Israeli occupation David Friedman has asked the US State Department to stop using the term “occupied” in official documents referring to Israeli occupation of West Bank.
Friedman and the State Department agreed that the issue will be discussed again and that the US President Donald Trump will have the final say.
In September, Friedman told an Israeli news outlet: “I think the settlements are part of Israel. I think that was always the expectation.”
He added, according to Days of Palestine: “Obviously, there are important security considerations to those settlements, there is important nationalistic, historical and religious significance to those settlements and I think the settlers view themselves as Israelis, and Israel views the settlers as Israelis.”
Before taking up his post as ambassador, Friedman served as president of American Friends of Bet El Institutions, an organization that supports the large West Bank settlement near Ramallah, and has a long history of excoriating groups who criticize Israel’s settlement policy.
Friedman’s directive comes just weeks after Trump shifted decades of US policy and recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on December 6.
In an address from the White House, Trump defied worldwide warnings and insisted that, after repeated failures to achieve peace, a new approach was long overdue. He described his decision to recognize Jerusalem, as the seat of Israel’s government, as merely based on reality.
Friedman and the State Department agreed that the issue will be discussed again and that the US President Donald Trump will have the final say.
In September, Friedman told an Israeli news outlet: “I think the settlements are part of Israel. I think that was always the expectation.”
He added, according to Days of Palestine: “Obviously, there are important security considerations to those settlements, there is important nationalistic, historical and religious significance to those settlements and I think the settlers view themselves as Israelis, and Israel views the settlers as Israelis.”
Before taking up his post as ambassador, Friedman served as president of American Friends of Bet El Institutions, an organization that supports the large West Bank settlement near Ramallah, and has a long history of excoriating groups who criticize Israel’s settlement policy.
Friedman’s directive comes just weeks after Trump shifted decades of US policy and recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on December 6.
In an address from the White House, Trump defied worldwide warnings and insisted that, after repeated failures to achieve peace, a new approach was long overdue. He described his decision to recognize Jerusalem, as the seat of Israel’s government, as merely based on reality.