Safadi briefs Arab counterparts on efforts to address US Jerusalem move

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday briefed members of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee on the progress of the Arab ministerial delegation's efforts to counter the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Chairing a meeting of the committee in Cairo, which was formed after the meeting of Arab foreign minister and Arab League Secretary General Ahmad Aboul Gheit in Amman last month, Safadi outlined Jordan's role under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah in addressing the consequences.  

Safadi also briefed the committee members about the joint Arab diplomatic efforts, since the Arab League’s extraordinary meeting in December, which denounced the US decision on Jerusalem as “null and void”.

The committee, chaired by Jordan, comprises 13 Arab countries and the Arab League secretary general.

In his speech, Safadi said that the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “is political and does not entail any right nor changes any longstanding  legal status” indicating that only nine countries out of the 193 UN members voted against the “international consensus on Jerusalem”.

The committee will continue work with the international community to ensure achieving the Palestinian rights and to curb the repercussions of the decision, said Safadi.

He stressed the importance of supporting UNRWA to continue its services to Palestinian refugees in education, healthcare and food. 

Safadi added that cutting the financial support to UNRWA will have “catastrophic consequences” on the entire region. “Who will carry the responsibility of depriving more than 250,000 Gazan students from attending school?” Safadi asked. He called on the international community to honour its responsibilities towards UNRWA.  

On the sidelines of the meeting, Safadi and Aboul Gheit discussed diplomatic efforts in response of the decision. 

During a press conference following the meeting, Safadi announced that the Arab ministerial delegation tasked with communicating with the international community regarding US’ Jerusalem move will meet with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU foreign ministers this month.