Bangladesh won’t accept US recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital: Hasina 

Bangladesh has joined the international community to reject US President Donald Trump’s shift on Jerusalem, saying the move will jeopardise the peace efforts Washington itself had initiated.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 7 Dec 2017, 11:11 AM
Updated : 7 Dec 2017, 01:28 PM

Speaking at a media briefing in Dhaka, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said it is only natural that President Trump’s announcement is not acceptable to the Muslim nations.

“There’s a UN resolution on this and no-one will accept the announcement disregarding it,” she said.

Arabs and Muslims across the Middle East on Wednesday condemned the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital as an incendiary move in a volatile region. The Palestinians said Washington was abandoning its leading role as a peace mediator.

The European Union, US’s major ally, and the United Nations also voiced alarm at Trump's decision to move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and its repercussions for any chances of reviving Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.

The Bangladesh prime minister said the Palestinians have the right for their own state and that the 1967 border has to be reinstated. “In line with that agreement, East Jerusalem has to be the capital of Palestine.”

Referring to the 2000 peace effort brokered by the then President Bill Clinton, Hasina said, “It’s the US that started the effort to end the conflict. In fact, a Nobel Peace prize was awarded for it, and now they are jeopardising it.”

Hasina called on the Muslim world to unite against the unilateral decision.

After her briefing, the foreign minister also issued a statement expressing “deep concern” over the US decision.

“Bangladesh stresses on preserving the legal status of Jerusalem within the framework of relevant UN resolutions,” the statement said.

“Bangladesh reaffirms its position in favour of establishing the State of Palestine on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Bangladesh also urged all related parties to take a “pragmatic approach” to the Middle East Peace Process in reaching a two-state solution for peace and stability in the region.