Six Arab foreign ministers met in Jordan’s capital on Saturday to discuss the response to the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. They had little new to say.
The head of the Arab League told a media conference there would be a renewed effort to have East Jerusalem recognised as the capital of a Palestinian state.
But that approach has been tried already, and gained little traction.
Washington’s announcement a month ago that it would relocate its embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv ignited outrage in the Arab world.
There was an emergency meeting of the Arab League in Cairo. There were demonstrations across the Middle East.
A resolution condemning the US decision passed easily at the United Nations.
And yet, none of that had any real impact. The embassy move is going ahead. No Arab countries have downgraded relations with the US as a result.
In the sprawling Baqa’a Palestinian refugee camp outside of Amman in Jordan, the American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is a bitter blow.
“This was to me, as a Palestinian, this made me angry,” Saeed Tabaza, a third generation Palestinian refugee, said.
“Jerusalem has always been to us, since we’ve been kids, the capital of Palestine.”
Read the full article by Norman Hermant at ABC News.