Arab foreign ministers say no peace without a 'free' Jerusalem
Palestinians
Trump's recognition of Jerusalem has infuriated the Arab world and upset Western allies, who say it is a blow to peace efforts and risks sparking more violence in the region.
Arab Foreign Ministers collectively denounced on Saturday President Donald Trump's acceptance of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Ministers from across the region met in Cairo to discuss a response to Trump's announcement on Wednesday (December 6), which overturned decades of U.S. policy towards the Middle East.
Trump's recognition of Jerusalem has infuriated the Arab world and upset Western allies, who say it is a blow to peace efforts and risks sparking more violence in the region.
Israel maintains that all of Jerusalem is its capital. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state.
Most countries consider East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed after capturing it in a 1967 war, to be occupied territory, and say the status of the city should be left to be decided at future Israeli-Palestinian talks.
Snub Pence
Meanwhile, it's learnt thatPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during his visit to the region and there will be no communication between U.S. and Palestinian officials, PalestinianForeignMinister Riyad Al-Maliki said on Saturday (December 9).
Maliki's comments were made before anArabLeague meeting in Cairo to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and after Abbas said Washington could no longer be a peace broker.
Maliki added that the Palestinians will seek a U.N. Security Council resolution over Trump's decision.