Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad insists countries have no right to recognise Jerusalem as Israeli capital
- Prime Minister slammed Australia for following the US, after Washington moved its embassy from Tel Aviv in May
Australia’s move follows US President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in May, which infuriated Palestinians and the wider Islamic world and upset Western allies.
“Jerusalem should remain as it is now and not the capital of Israel,” Mahathir said on the sidelines of an event in Bangkok. “Jerusalem has always been under Palestine, so why are they taking the initiative to divide Jerusalem ... They have no rights.”
Malaysia is a majority-Muslim country and has long supported a two-state solution in the Palestine-Israel conflict.
The status of Jerusalem, home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths, is one of the biggest obstacles to a peace agreement between Israel and Palestinians who want East Jerusalem recognised as the capital of a Palestinian state.