Deputy Malaysian Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has said that his country would open an embassy in occupied East Jerusalem, a report stated, reported the official website of the International Middle East Media Center.
Speaking to local media, the prime minister said that the cabinet would, next month, discuss a proposal by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak for Malaysia to follow Turkey in opening an embassy in east Jerusalem to recognize the city as the Palestinian capital.
Turkey said last week it would open an embassy in east Jerusalem once the world recognizes an independent Palestinian state, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.
He reiterated that said there was “serious determination” among countries that have not yet recognized Palestine to do so.
“Once we succeed, embassies will open in the independent Palestinian state’s capital, east Jerusalem,” he said, according to Days of Palestine.
The Malaysian Prime Minister led thousands of Malaysians in a rally, Friday, to show solidarity with Palestinians, slamming the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Najib told the crowd that Malaysia will do all it can to “save Jerusalem” and that he will not be cowed by the US nor by his close ties with President Donald Trump.
In September, Najib met Trump at the White House and, last month, posted a photograph of himself with Trump on Twitter, on the sidelines of a regional meeting in Manila.
On Thursday, Malaysia joined more than 120 countries voting in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, ignoring a threat by Trump to cut off financial aid to countries voting against his move.
“Yes, I have visited the White House and yes, Trump is a good acquaintance, but I will not pawn the sanctity of Islam,” Najib said to loud cheers at the protest outside a mosque in the government capital of Putrajaya, after Friday prayers.
“We are firm in our stand. We support the formation of a Palestine that is free and sovereign. We demand a Palestine with dignity and pride. We want East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine,” he said.
Earlier this month, Trump reversed decades of US policy by announcing that the United States government recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and said he would move US embassy there.
Najib vowed to hold weekly protests in support of Palestinians.
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