Arab League condemns Trump's Jerusalem move

The Arab League, from Egypt's capital Cairo, condemned late on Dec. 9, U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.     

The head of the Arab League, Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, released a written statement after the group's emergency meeting, saying that Trump's move is "against international law and raises questions over American efforts to support peace" between Palestine and Israel.     

The secretary general said the "best practical reaction" to Trump's decision is to recognize the state of Palestine with its capital East Jerusalem.     

The United States' recognition of Jerusalem as the "invaders' capital" will not change the status of Jerusalem, Aboul-Gheit said during the meeting attended by 18 member states.     

On Dec. 6, Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, in a move that reversed decades of U.S. policy of remaining neutral on the holy city.     

The decision has triggered mass demonstrations in the Palestinian territories and across the Muslim world.     

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- now occupied by Israel -- might eventually serve as the capital of a Palestinian state.     

"The US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is invalid and constitutes a dangerous breach of international law and UN Security Council resolutions," the published final communique read.     

"In line with UN Security Council resolutions, foreign ministers of Arab states reject any kind of unilateral steps intended to change the internationally accepted status of Jerusalem," the ministers of the bloc agree to say.     

The move demonstrates that the United States has chosen to "waive its status of a sponsor and mediator in the Middle East peace process," it added.