Cairo, June 16 (SANA) The Arab League on Tuesday condemned the opening of a diplomatic mission for the so-called Somaliland in occupied Jerusalem, saying the move violates international law and U.N. resolutions governing the status of the city.
In a statement, the Arab League said establishing diplomatic missions in occupied Jerusalem or recognizing the city as a location for foreign representation runs counter to the international consensus on its legal status and conflicts with relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The organization said the step could contribute to efforts to alter Jerusalem’s legal, historical and demographic character and undermine prospects for a negotiated settlement of the Palestinian issue.
The Arab League reiterated its position that Jerusalem is part of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 and reaffirmed support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant U.N. resolutions.
It also called on the international community to uphold the city’s legal status and oppose measures that seek to impose new realities on the ground.
The organization reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity and rejected any actions that could undermine those principles.
The statement followed an announcement by Israeli authorities on Monday that a diplomatic mission representing the breakaway Somaliland region would open in Jerusalem. The move came months after Israel and Somaliland announced what they described as mutual recognition.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but its sovereignty has not been recognized by the United Nations or the vast majority of countries.
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