The government of Turkey is staking out a hardline position against President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
On Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the United States a “partner in bloodshed” with Israel, which he denounced as a “child-murderer state.” On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu needled Arab states for their “very weak responses” on Jerusalem.
“It seems some countries are very timid of the United States,” Cavusoglu huffed as he prepared for an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul.
“We will make a call for countries that have so far not recognized Palestine to do so now,” he said. “We want the United States to turn back from its mistake.”
That does not seem like a very inviting attitude to take when Turkey is having a little trouble rounding up top-shelf attendees for the summit called by Erdogan, who is currently president of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. With only one day to go, Cavusoglu admitted several of the 57 OIC nations have not indicated who they will send, prominently including Saudi Arabia.
Jordan is sending its King Abdullah, who will make a stop in Saudi Arabia first to talk with Saudi King Salman. Pakistan’s delegation is headed by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, with several of his top officials in tow. Iran is expected to send President Hassan Rouhani, who has expressed support for a violent Palestinian uprising.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun is also scheduled to attend in person. Sudan’s President Omar Bashir will somehow manage to lead his country’s delegation to the summit, even though he is wanted for crimes against humanity and genocide by the International Criminal Court. Even more global prestige and high class will be brought to the gathering by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is taking a break from destroying his own country to attend the OIC summit as an observer.
The Palestinian Authority is hoping the OIC will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of “Palestine” to counter President Trump’s decision to recognize it as the capital of Israel.
According to Turkey’s state-run Andalou press agency, 48 OIC nations are sending “high-ranking officials” to the conference, while 18 are sending their presidents or prime ministers.
Russia’s TASS news agency reported on Tuesday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has already arrived in Istanbul for meetings with Erdogan before the summit.
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