Ramallah: The Palestinian National Authority has recalled its envoys to Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria after their ambassadors attended an Israeli reception marking the US embassy’s move to occupied Jerusalem, it said Wednesday.
The statement from the PNA’s foreign ministry said the EU nations’ ambassadors had attended the reception on Sunday, a day before the US opened its Israel embassy in occupied Jerusalem.
The embassy move and Washington’s recognition of occupied Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has deeply angered Palestinians, who see the Israeli-annexed eastern sector of the occupied city as the capital of their future state.
The ministry “sees this participation as a grave breach of international law and United Nations resolutions which confirm that Jerusalem has been occupied since 1967 and ban countries from moving their embassies there,” the statement said.
“The recalls are to consult with our ambassadors to these states about their positions and their commitment to the EU’s positions.” The European Union opposed the US move of its embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday withdrew his top envoy to Washington.
The embassy move was accompanied by mass protests and clashes along the Gaza border that saw Israeli occupation forces kill 62 Palestinians. The Israeli regime has faced international criticism over its use of live fire against demonstrators.
Occupied Jerusalem’s status is perhaps the thorniest issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel occupied the West Bank and east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community. It sees the entire city as its capital.
