Arab Parliament calls for ‘roadmap’ on Jerusalem

Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Meshal al-Selmi, on Monday called for an Arab roadmap for establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Addressing an urgent meeting of the inter-Arab parliament in Cairo, al-Selmi held the U.S. responsible for the consequences of the "irresponsible decision" taken by President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Last week, Trump announced the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and preparations to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the city.

The dramatic reverse in the U.S. policy on neutrality regarding the city has triggered protests in the Palestinian territories and several Arab and Muslim countries.

Al-Selmi warned that the U.S. decision would deal a death blow to the peacemaking in the Middle East, going on to call on Arab and Islamic countries to support the Palestinians to preserve Jerusalem.

He also called on the UN to get involved in the regional peace process and "shoulder responsibility toward saving Jerusalem and its holy sites".

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- now occupied by Israel -- might eventually serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state.