Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has joined his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in rebuking America’s decision to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, saying the move has made the United States a “partner in bloodshed.”
“With its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the United States has become a partner in the bloodshed,” declared Erdogan at an event marking World Human Rights Day in Ankara on Monday, echoing jihadist groups like the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) and al-Qaeda, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
“The statement by U.S. President Donald Trump does not bind us, nor does it bind Jerusalem or the Muslim world,” he added.
Putin met with Erdogan on Monday to discuss the aftermath of Trump’s decision.
“Russia and Turkey agree that a U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is destabilizing the situation in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday,” reports Reuters.
The two leaders recently discussed Trump’s Jerusalem announcement during a phone conversation.
“Erdogan and Putin held a phone conversation on Dec. 8 amid efforts to mobilize the international community against U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” notes Hurriyet, adding, “Both Erdogan and Putin have expressed serious concerns over Trump’s move, saying such steps could thwart all prospects for the Middle East peace process.”
Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed his government to start the process of moving the American embassy to the city on Wednesday, prompting protests in various Muslim-majority countries that have since fizzled out.
“The dramatic shift in Washington’s Jerusalem policy has triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq and other Muslim-majority countries,” notes Hurriyet.
Many of those countries have come out in support of Palestinians who have designated East Jerusalem as the capital of their desired state.
Territorial disputes have long plagued the relationship between Israel and Palestine with Jerusalem at the epicenter of the ongoing conflict.
Following Putin’s December 8 phone conversation with the Turkish president, the Kremlin reportedly released a statement saying, “Russia and Turkey reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a just and viable solution to the Middle East crisis based, above all, on the relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and the U.N. General Assembly, as well as the realization of the Palestinian people’s right to their own state.”
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