Arab League urges Australia, Brazil to change stance on Jerusalem
Both countries have promised to take steps to recognize the city as Israel’s capital; Brazil’s Bolsonaro says he’ll to move the nation’s embassy

CAIRO, Egypt — The Arab League on Tuesday adopted a resolution calling on Australia and Brazil to “abide by international law” concerning the status of Jerusalem.
It comes after Brazil’s president-elect Jair Bolsonaro announced in November his intention to move his country’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
And on Saturday Australia announced its recognition of West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, although an embassy shift from Tel Aviv will not occur until a peace settlement is achieved.
The Arab League decided Tuesday to dispatch a “high-ranking delegation” to Brazil and Australia to inform officials there of the need to “abide by international law” concerning Jerusalem.
The decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting at the League’s Cairo headquarters attended by delegates from member countries.
Israel won control from Jordan of Jerusalem’s eastern half in the 1967 Six Day War and later annexed it, declaring the entire city its “eternal and indivisible capital,” in a move not recognized by most of the international community. Palestinians claim the eastern part as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
In December, the US administration of President Donald Trump decided to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and declared it recognized Israel’s capital as Jerusalem.
The embassy was transferred in May in a move that sparked outrage in much of the Arab world.
The Palestinian leadership has slammed Australia and Brazil over their plans.
The Arab League also called on the UN Security Council to “assume its responsibilities by putting pressure on Israel… and stop its aggression against the Palestinian people.”