The OIC summit aims to adopt a unified Islamic stand.

:: The final communiqué of the Islamic Summit in Istanbul, on Wednesday, called on the world to recognize the state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, pointing out that the United States should withdraw from the peace process.

The leaders of the participating Islamic countries also considered US President Donald Trump’s decision on Jerusalem to be “irresponsible, null and void”, suggesting that it fuels “extremism and terrorism.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described Trump’s promise to Israel regarding Jerusalem as a second Balfour Declaration.

He added at the opening of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s summit (OIC), that announcing “Jerusalem as the capital of Israel requires decisions to protect the city’s identity,” adding that “the whole world stood with us against Trump’s decision.”

“We reject the unilateral American decisions on Jerusalem,” he said. “We will not accept an American role in the peace process after today,” adding that Washington has bypassed the red lines with regard to the status of Jerusalem.

Abbas added: “The state of Palestine cannot be established without East Jerusalem as its capital … We will not abide by the previous understandings unless Washington retracts its recent declarations.”

Abbas called for a Security Council resolution to annul Trump’s resolution on Jerusalem.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that US President Donald Trump’s decision on Jerusalem comes as “a reward to Israel for its terrorist actions.”

Erdogan called on the world to reject the US decision, saying that it will have serious repercussions.

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mouloud Zhaoshoglu said at a meeting of foreign ministers of OIC that all other countries must recognize the Palestinian state and fight to achieve this goal.

“We must encourage other countries to recognize a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.

Collective decision

Earlier, Turkey invited leaders of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which includes more than 50 Muslim countries, to meet in Istanbul on Wednesday to formulate a joint response to US President Donald Trump’s decision recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The OIC summit summit is aimed at adopting a unified Islamic stand.

The organization described Trump’s announcement as an illegal decision and a dangerous escalation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the current chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, also strongly criticized the US move and said the leaders would send a strong message.

A number of Arab and Islamic leaders arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday to attend the summit.