57 Muslim nations say Trump is now disqualified from Israeli-Palestinian peace process

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, centre, flanked by Jordan's King Abdullah II, left and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, centre, flanked by Jordan's King Abdullah II, left, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, right Credit: AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis

Dozens of Muslim countries said the US can no longer play a part in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, as leaders signed a rare joint declaration on Wednesday.

In a rebuke at Donald Trump,  the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, a pan-Islamic global body,  agreed the move at  an emergency summit in Turkey, where President Recip Tayyip Erdogan denounced the US and Israel in fiery terms.

In the summit’s final communiqué, the Muslim states said they considered Mr Trump’s decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem to be an indication of the "US administration’s withdrawal from its role as sponsor of peace”.

They also called for the world to symbolically recognise east Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine in response to Mr Trump’s decision to recognise the city as Israel’s capital.

But amid the public show of unity between the Islamic nations, cracks were also visible between jostling Middle Eastern states. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) shake hands
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) shake hands Credit: Onur Coban/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Mr Erdogan is eager to present himself as a global Islamic leader and has tried to put the issue of Jerusalem at the forefront of Muslim consciousness, while US allies like Saudi Arabia and Egypt have taken a more muted approach.

Both Saudi Arabia and Egypt sent ministers to the Istanbul conference instead of their country’s leaders, whereas other Muslim heads of state dropped everything to fly thousands of miles for the summit. 

Even before the conference opened, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticised Arab states for their low-level response to Mr Trump’s decision. “Some Arab countries have shown very weak responses,” he said. “It seems some countries are very timid of the United States.”

Mr Erodgan showed no such timidity as he accused Mr Trump of having a “Zionist mentality” and said there can be “no question” of the US continuing as a mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He called Israel a "terrorist state" which "kills children”.

Despite his angry words, Mr Erdogan has so far not followed through on his threat to cut off diplomatic relations with Israel in response to Mr Trump’s move on Jerusalem. Turkey and Israel restored diplomatic ties last year after a six-year freeze. 

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, said: "The United States has chosen to lose its qualification as a mediator… We will no longer accept that it has a role in the political process from now."

He also said the Palestinians would go to the UN Security Council to seek full membership of the UN as fully-fledged country. Mr Abbas gave no details but if he succeeds in reaching the Security Council it could force the US into an embarrassing veto to prevent the Palestinians from winning the vote.    

The White House has said it remains committed to moving ahead with a proposed peace plan early next year, despite the angry backlash from the Palestinians and other Middle Eastern States. 

Jared Kushner, Mr Trump’s son-in-law and point man on peace talks, reportedly believes that Palestinian anger will eventually die down and they will have no choice but to return to a US-brokered peace process.   

Jared Kushner apparently plans to forge ahead with unveiling peace proposals sometime next year
Jared Kushner apparently plans to forge ahead with unveiling peace proposals sometime next year Credit: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File

“I think it is well understood by all parties that the only path forward to peace between Israel and the Palestinians is through direct negotiations between these two parties under the supervision and with the assistance of the US,” said David Satterfield, a senior US diplomat. 

Analysts said the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) declaration was unlikely to have much practical impact and member states would follow their own course depending on their own national interests. 

“Declarations of the OIC go beyond symbolic polemics when they result in the enactment of policies. I doubt that this OIC declaration is going to to lead to much in that regard,” said Dr HA Hellyer, senior nonresident fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. 

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