PRIME Minister Najib Razak will give a statement at the extraordinary Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit, a special conference to discuss the repercussions of US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in Istanbul on Wednesday.

According to the working programme, all heads of delegations will be given the opportunity to speak on the issue affecting the Muslim world.

The summit held at Lutfi Kirdar Congress Centre will be opened by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the chair of the Islamic Summit and Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Conference. 

There will also be speeches by OIC secretary-general Dr Yousef Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas and King of Jordan, Abdullah II.

At the end of the day, the summit will adopt the Istanbul Declaration as part of the effort to protect Jerusalem.

OIC, with 57 member countries, is meeting in the wake of the US administration’s recognition of the occupied city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the so-called capital of Israel, the occupying power, and the decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. 

The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Member States will hold an extraordinary meeting on the same morning to discuss the move in a unified and coordinated manner in the face of these developments affecting the occupied city of Al-Quds and its historical, legal and political status.

Last Saturday, Najib said Malaysia would not compromise with the US on matters involving the sanctity of Islam, despite having multi-dimensional diplomatic relations with the super power, as it contravened the principle of sovereignty as contained in the United Nations Resolution. 

Najib also said he was prepared to cancel his annual consultation programme with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong so that he could voice Malaysia’s protest at the special meeting.

He  said he could not accept Muslims being suppressed in any situation and would not let Jerusalem, which is the third holy land for the Muslims, to be usurped.

Najib said Erdogan had contacted him to ask for his presence at the OIC special meeting.

US President Donald Trump announced that the US would recognise Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, and instructed the State Department to begin the process of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Although the US Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act in 1995 which required the relocation of the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, former US presidents, including George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, consistently renewed a presidential waiver to delay the move.

The status of Jerusalem remains one of the core issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. So far, the international community does not recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and no country have based their embassy in the city. – Bernama, December 11, 2017.