CAIRO: Echoing its earlier stances, Kuwait underscored yesterday that it is categorically opposed to any action or bid that could undermine the legal status of the occupied Palestinian holy city of Jerusalem. Addressing an emergency Arab League meeting to weigh its response to the recent Israeli escalation in the West Bank, Kuwait's deputy permanent delegate at the Arab League Falah Al-Mutairi called on more countries to recognize Palestine as a state with East Jerusalem being its capital.

"Kuwait condemns, in the strongest words, the aggressive campaign launched by the Israeli occupying army, extremists and settlers against Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps, particularly Ramallah," he said.

Mutairi reiterated his country's call on the international community, mainly the UN Security Council, to provide necessary protection to the defenseless Palestinian people pursuant to UNSC Resolutions 605 and 904 stipulating a halt of Israeli violations against Palestinians. He vowed that Kuwait would never leave no stone unturned in order to ensure the rights of the Palestinian people by means of tabling relevant draft resolutions through its non-permanent UNSC membership.

The Kuwaiti diplomat vehemently regretted a recent Australian decision to recognize West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, billing it as a resonant illegal step and unequivocal breach of relevant UNSC resolutions. He also urged the new Brazilian president to rethink his country's decision declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving its embassy to Tel Aviv. Mutairi concluded by echoing that his country would throw its weight behind all moves to be taken by the meeting with a view to fending off the aftershocks of the latest Israeli escalation against Palestinian people.

The Arab League later adopted a resolution calling on Australia and Brazil to "abide by international law" concerning the status of Jerusalem. It also decided to dispatch a "high-ranking delegation" to Brazil and Australia to inform officials there on the need to "abide by international law" concerning Jerusalem. The pan-Arab body also called on the UN Security Council to "assume its responsibilities by putting pressure on Israel… and stop its aggression against the Palestinian people".

Israel seized east Jerusalem 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. The Palestinian leadership has slammed Australia and Brazil over their plans.

In December the US administration of President Donald Trump decided to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and declared the city Israel's capital. The embassy was transferred in May in a move that sparked outrage in across the Arab and Muslim world. Most countries have avoided moving their embassies to Jerusalem to avoid hindering peace talks on the city's final status. - Agencies