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