Erekat condemns Paraguay over Jerusalem embassy move

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat condemns Paraguay after the South American nation opened its embassy in Jerusalem, calling on Arab states to sever ties with any country that moves its embassy in Israel to the city.

“We have witnessed today how the Paraguayan president is an irresponsible political leader by defying international law and the achievement of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” Erekat says in a statement. “Moving an embassy to Jerusalem is a widely rejected step, condemned by the United Nations, the European Union, the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Holy See as well as by the local churches of Jerusalem and the whole of Palestine.”

Erekat also says the Palestinians are working with others to take the “necessary diplomatic steps” against the United States, Guatemala and Paraguay for moving their embassies in Israel to Jerusalem.

“We particularly call upon Arab countries that host diplomatic missions of these countries to implement the previous resolutions of the Arab League of 1980, 1990 and 2000 to ‘severing all ties with states that transfer their embassies to Jerusalem or recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,'” he says.