Cairo, June 16 (Petra)– The Arab League strongly condemned the
decision by Somalia’s northwestern region, the self-declared Republic
of Somaliland, to open an embassy in occupied Jerusalem, describing
the move as a violation of international law and relevant
international legitimacy resolutions, particularly those issued by
the United Nations Security Council.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Arab League said that
establishing diplomatic missions in occupied Jerusalem, or
recognizing the city as a seat for foreign diplomatic
representations, constitutes a clear breach of the international
consensus regarding the legal status of Jerusalem. It added that such
actions undermine international efforts aimed at achieving a just and
comprehensive peace based on international resolutions and the
two-state solution.

The organization stressed that the step is unacceptable in both form
and substance, arguing that it contributes to the entrenchment of
what it described as Israel’s illegal occupation. It said the move
forms part of ongoing measures that seek to alter the legal,
historical and demographic character of the holy city and isolate it
from its Palestinian surroundings.

The Arab League emphasized that such measures are null and void under
international law and relevant United Nations resolutions and carry
no legal effect. It reiterated that East Jerusalem remains an
integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.

The League’s General Secretariat reaffirmed its unwavering support
for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among
them the right to establish an independent and sovereign state along
the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line
with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant UN resolutions.

The statement also expressed the League’s full support for the unity,
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of
Somalia, rejecting any actions or arrangements that could undermine
these principles as guaranteed by international law and the UN
Charter.

The Arab League called on the international community to uphold its
legal and political responsibilities by taking measures to preserve
the legal and historical status of Jerusalem and prevent attempts to
impose a new reality on the ground or legitimize what it described as
Israel’s unlawful practices in the occupied Palestinian territories.

It further warned against turning the core principles of the
Palestinian cause into electoral or propaganda tools serving narrow
political interests within the Israeli right.

//Petra// MF