Trump’s Jerusalem move may trigger ‘grave consequences’, Bangladesh fears

Bangladesh has voiced its concern at the UN over the US President Donald Trump’s Jerusalem move saying it may trigger “grave consequences”.

Reversing the decades-old Middle East policy, Trump has announced to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli and to move the embassy from Tel Aviv, drawing concerns from the global community, including ally European Union.

Dhaka apprehends the policy shift threats international peace and security by inflaming the Muslim world, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Masud Bin Momen said during a meeting at the UN headquarters.

He was addressing a meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on Thursday, his office said in a statement.

The move will raise new waves of tension, hostility and violent extremism in the already volatile region of the Middle East, Momen told the meeting at the UN headquarters.

Expressing deep concern, the Bangladesh ambassador to UN said, “It would impose Israeli control over the holy city of East Jerusalem and contribute to changing its historical and legal status, its demographic structure and historic Arab-Islamic character”.

Masud reiterated Bangladesh position in favour of Palestine state on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital.

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

He urged all concerned to take a pragmatic approach in reaching a two-state solution for peace and stability in the region.

The Permanent Representative of Senegal Ambassador Fodé Seck chaired Thursday’s meeting at the UN while the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the UN Ambassador Riyad H Mansour delivered his statement among others.

"The unilateral, irresponsible and reckless decision of USA regarding the status of Jerusalem is a clear violation of International Law,” said Ambassador Mansour.

He praised the diplomatic efforts made by several Member States at UN, particularly in the Security Council condemning the US decision and supporting the peace process in Middle East.

Following Trump’s announcement, the OIC held an urgent meeting in Istanbul where Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid said the US decision was a mindless blow to rights and status of the Palestinian people.