Declaration by Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the recognition by the United States of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

Submitted by editor on Thu, 12/07/2017 - 00:00

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba expresses its deepest concern at and utter rejection of the US president's unilateral declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which constitutes a serious, flagrant breach of the UN Charter, of international law and of the relevant UN resolutions.

This attempt by Washington to change Jerusalem's historic status undermines the legitimate interests of the Palestinian people and of the Arab and Islamic nations, will have grave consequences for stability and security in the Middle East, further exacerbate the tensions in the region and hinder any initiative aimed at restarting the peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

Cuba calls on the Security Council to meet its responsibility under the UN Charter regarding the maintenance of international security, to take the necessary decisions and to demand that Israel put an immediate end to its occupation of the Palestinian territories, its policies of aggression and its colonizing practices, and comply with the UN resolutions on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates that Cuba will continue to support a comprehensive, equitable and lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based on a two-state solution that accords to the Palestinians the right of free self-determination and to an independent sovereign state, with its capital in East Jerusalem and with the pre-1967 borders.