CAIRO, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Cairo-based Arab Parliament on Friday welcomed Paraguay's decision to move its Israeli embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.
In his cabled thanks to the Paraguayan president, foreign minister and parliament speaker, Mishal bin Fahm al-Salami, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, commended the decision as complying with the UN resolutions and the historical and legal status of the occupied city.
Less than a month after the swearing-in of Paraguay's new President Mario Abdo Benitez in August, the country decided to relocate its embassy back to Tel Aviv, reversing a decision by former President Horacio Cartes in May.
Shortly after Paraguay's embassy relocation decision on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Foreign Ministry to recall Israeli envoy to Paraguay and close the embassy.
"The Paraguayan decision came in response to Arab and Islamic diplomacy and the efforts exerted by the Arab Parliament in the aftermath of the disapproved U.S. decision to transfer its embassy to occupied Jerusalem," al-Salmi said in his cables.
He also urged the countries which transferred their embassies to the disputed holy city, or intend to do so, to heed the UN resolutions backed by the international community.
"The city of Jerusalem is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories as stipulated in the Security Council resolutions," he said.
The United States, Guatemala and Paraguay moved their embassies to Jerusalem in May.
Israel seized East Jerusalem, together with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Middle East war.
It annexed East Jerusalem shortly afterwards, claiming it as part of its "indivisible capital," a move never recognized by the international community.
On Dec. 16, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, triggering escalating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
