The Jordanian government on Monday condemned a decision by the Guatemalan government to move the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Jordan’s State Minister for Media Affairs, Mohammad Al-Momani, said the decision is “a flagrant violation of international law and UN resolutions, especially the recent UN General Assembly resolution,” according to the official Jordanian Petra news agency.
He added that the “irresponsible Guatemalan decision would fuel regional violence, and encourage Israel to continue violating international law”, and noted that Jordan, as the custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, condemns such an irresponsible move.
Momani also said the world's peace loving countries should support the two-state solution which calls for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital.
The Guatemalan move was similarly condemned by Jordan’s Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, who described it as an “absurd provocation”.
“We reject #Guatemala decision to move embassy to #Jerusalem & condemn it as absurd provocation, violation of international law. Occupied Jerusalem is capital of #Palestinian state which must be established on June 4 1967 lines on basis of 2-state solution as only path to peace,” he tweeted.
Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales announced on Sunday night he had given instructions to move the country’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
In a short post on his official Facebook account, Morales said he decided to move the embassy from Tel Aviv after talking to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu about the issue.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hailed Guatemala’s decision, saying other nations would also follow Washington's lead.
"Other countries will recognize Jerusalem and announce the relocation of their embassies. A second country did it and I repeat it: there will be others, it's just the start and it's important," Netanyahu said in a statement.
"We are waiting for you here in Jerusalem," Netanyahu told Morales.
The Palestinian Authority blasted Guatemala, describing its move as "shameful".
"It's a shameful and illegal act that goes totally against the wishes of church leaders in Jerusalem" and violates a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution condemning the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the PA’s foreign ministry said in a statement quoted by AFP.