Global Geo-political Series: Istanbul Summit over Jerusalem attracts meager response from key players

After U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, several Muslim majority countries announced their opposition to the decision. However, no voices were as loud as that Of Turkey’s or Iran’s. While Turkish president Recep Tayipp Erdogan branded Israel as a child-murdering state, Iran said that Trump’s decision would fasten the destruction of Israel. In response to the decision, Turkey called for an Islamic summit in Istanbul on 13th December, calling for all Muslim majority countries to join the summit and discuss next step to prevent it.

While many Muslim majority countries are expected to join the summit, including Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, the responses from key players in the region like Saudi Arabia have been meager. Several countries, like Egypt, United Arab Emirates have chosen to send foreign ministers instead of decision makers or leaders, while Saudi Arabia didn’t disclose how it plans to participate.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has criticized the Muslim countries which failed to show a strong response to Washington’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, accusing them of being afraid of the US. He said, “There was a lot of strong reaction, reaction from the highest level. Some countries, however, have shown a very weak response. It seems that some countries are very timid since the decision came from that country [the US]….. Some countries in the Islamic world are in a state of fear. Who or what are you afraid of? If we do not protect Jerusalem today, when will we protect it? If we cannot defend Jerusalem, one of Islam’s three holy cities, what can we defend?”