NEWS media reported that Bangladesh is going to attend an extraordinary summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Istanbul on Friday, which will discuss a response to the recent opening of the new US embassy in Jerusalem. The OIC has termed the US move a “clear violation” of international laws and legitimacy, and “clear contempt of the international community’s position regarding Jerusalem”. The blind support of US to the Jews state and its illegal settlement extension on Palestinian lands is a clear provocation to violence that ultimately lowers the credibility of US as a mediator in the Middle East Peace process. By capitalizing Shia-Sunni conflict between Arab states and Iran, Israel runs genocide in Gaza strip that fades the Palestinians dream of statehood. The cacophony in Muslim Ummah and pro-Israel governments in many Arab states and USA have put two states solution in danger.
The decision to organize the special summit was announced by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as part of his country’s rotating chairmanship of the 57-member body. Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s security affairs adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddiqui will join the summit. Bangladesh has already expressed its dismay at the US move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and stressed on preserving the legal status of Jerusalem as an international city within the framework of relevant UN resolutions. Bangladesh in a statement has reaffirmed its position in favour of establishing the State of Palestine on the basis of the two-state solution and on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Israel and the Palestinian territories both consider Jerusalem to be their capital, but the US’s move its embassy to the Holy City is a clear sign to acknowledge Israel’s occupation. The OIC see the action as an attack on the historical, legal, natural, and national rights of the Palestinian people, which undermines the standing of the UN and rule of international law and thus represents an affront to international peace and security.
As a Muslim majority non-Arab country, Bangladesh can be a mediator between Shia and Sunni domain that ultimately help to the Palestinian cause. Here, Bangladesh’s participation in the OIC summit and move to protect Palestinians legitimate demand would certainly encourage the Muslim Ummah.
