The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s so-called “Deal of the Century.” The summit was held in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, where Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyadh al-Malki urged the 57-member states “to refuse this deal, and to never accept the American agenda or the Israeli colonialism in denying Palestinian rights, for its people and leadership.”
The OIC declared none of its members would engage, cooperate or implement any aspect of the American initiative, in accordance with the Palestinian call.
“What is happening now is beyond the border of Palestine,” insisted al-Malki, claiming that “It is an assault on the international order as we know it. The countries in our cooperation have large benefits in protecting the laws that rule the international relations after World War Two. We are all keen on maintaining the agreed principles to be the benchmark and Trump’s deal goes against all of that.”
Despite the OIC move, the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs underscored Riyadh’s support for “all efforts to keep the wheel of negotiation moving and to achieve a fair solution for the Palestinian cause.” Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud then continued, “We assure that these efforts should have a final goal of delivering a fair solution for the Palestinian people to establish their independent country with eastern Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with the international legitimacy and decisions.”
In related developments, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell discussed Washington’s proposal with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi during a working visit to Amman. After saying that all parties are “very much aware that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the longest, most painful and complex conflicts in our history,” Borrell underscored that “The experience over the last 50 years has shown that without agreement among all sides, no peace plan has the chance to succeed.”
Safadi the reiterated that the “clear” stance of the Hashemite Kingdom as “designed by His Majesty” King Abdullah II remains unchanged. “We want a just and comprehensive peace that meets the rights of Palestinians, as per international laws and the Arabic peace initiative; to ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the occupied Jerusalem as its capital,” said Jordan’s top diplomat.