The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday slammed the US decision to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem and recognize the city as Israel's capital.
The Saudi-hosted summit condemned the "transfer of embassies of the United States and Guatemala to Jerusalem" and urged all members to "boycott" countries that have opened diplomatic missions in the city, a statement said.
The statement comes as US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner prepares to roll out economic aspects of his long-awaited Middle East peace plan at a conference in Bahrain later this month.
The plan, dubbed by Trump as the "deal of the century", has already been rejected by the Palestinian Authority (PA), which says Trump's policies have shown him to be biased in favor of Israel.
The PA has cut off all contacts with the Trump administration after the president recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December 2017.
David Rubin, former Mayor of Shiloh, Israel, and author of “Trump and the Jews” responded, saying:
“It comes as no surprise that Muslim nations would publicly criticize the moving of embassies to Jerusalem. Most Islamic countries have never accepted the return of the people of Israel (the Jewish people) to the historic Land of Israel. However, as I explained in my book, “Trump and the Jews”, Muslim nations speak loudly against Israel, but quietly maintain strategic and business connections with Israel, because it serves their national interests.”
“The real concern of the Sunni Muslim nations is Iran, which is working through its proxies to destabilize the Middle East. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain understand how to play the game. They vote against Israel, but secretly cooperate. The Trump-organized Bahrain conference will be a first, since it will be a very public sign of cooperation. This cooperation may not stand the test of time, but for now, it’s a remarkable marriage of great convenience.”