OIC and EU should form an alliance against Trump

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with its 57 member nations, and the European Union, which consists of 28 member nations, must form an alliance and offer a united global stand against United States President Donald Trump’s unilateral decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem.

As expected by many, immediately after Trump’s decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took his case to Europe to ask European countries to join the US in recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

However, Netanyahu was rebuffed by EU foreign ministers, who saw the move as a blow to peace process.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini reiterated that the bloc backed a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Jerusalem as the capital of both countries along the 1967 border.

We can see a similar stand being taken by many OIC member nations, which discussed the issue at the recent Extraordinary Islamic Summit of the OIC in Istanbul, Turkey. OIC wants global recognition for the state of Palestine.

Since OIC and EU hold a similar and firm stand on this matter, the blocs should join forces and continue to pressure Trump to move the US embassy out of Jerusalem.

At the same time, the blocs should discuss and find ways to help the Palestinian people achieve independence.

Senior lecturer, Faculty of Syariah and Law, University Sains Islam Malaysia