Turkey called on the world to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine

ANKARA, (Patria) - Turkey today, at the opening of the Islamic summit convened after the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, called on the world to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.

- First of all, the Palestinian state must be recognized by all countries of the world. We must all engage in this - said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu at the meeting of foreign ministers held before the summit.

- We must encourage other countries to recognize the Palestinian state within its 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital - said Cavusoglu.

Jerusalem, respected by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, is the third holiest site in Islam and has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades.

Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it to Israel, which the international community has never recognized.

Last week's decision by US President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel sparked a series of protests in numerous Muslim countries. Turkey believes the decision will drag the world into an "endless conflict".

Turkey invited the leaders of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, comprising more than 50 Muslim nations, to a meeting in Istanbul to formulate a joint response to Trump's decision.