Sri Lanka has reaffirmed its position that Jerusalem should be the shared capital of Israel and Palestine and said the country’s embassy in Tel Aviv will not be shifted. On Wednesday, the United States’ President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and announced plans to relocate the US embassy there. But Sri Lanka would [...]

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Jerusalem crisis: Lankan embassy will remain in Tel Aviv

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Sri Lanka has reaffirmed its position that Jerusalem should be the shared capital of Israel and Palestine and said the country’s embassy in Tel Aviv will not be shifted. On Wednesday, the United States’ President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and announced plans to relocate the US embassy there. But Sri Lanka would not follow suit, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a written response to the question as to whether Sri Lanka’s stance had also changed.

“Sri Lanka has always stood by the position that Jerusalem is a final-status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the two parties on the basis of the relevant United Nations resolutions, taking into account the legitimate concerns of both parties–Palestinians and Israelis–and that Jerusalem should be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states,” the ministry said.

“Sri Lanka continues to stand by its position that it is only by realising the vision of two states living side-by-side in peace, security and mutual recognition, with Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and Palestine, with all matters resolved permanently through negotiations, that the legitimate aspirations of both parties and sustainable peace can be achieved.

“Therefore, Sri Lanka continues to urge all parties in the region to work with restraint, and focus on creating conditions for direct and meaningful negotiations that can resolve all final status issues required for a negotiated settlement,” the response said. “In this context, the question of shifting Sri Lanka’s Embassy does not arise.”

Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana on Friday also handed over a deed for a plot of land–at No 4, Hewa Avenue, Colombo 7–to Palestine Ambassador Zuhair M H Zaid as a gift from Sri Lanka to the State of Palestine to build its new embassy in Colombo.

The Minister recalled that Sri Lanka had recognised the State of Palestine in 1988 and supported Palestine for non-member observer status in the UN. Sri Lanka would continue to support Palestine for full membership in the UN, he assured Ambassador Zaid, also expressing commitment to expand cooperation.

Ambassador Zaid expressed appreciation to the Sri Lankan Government for the plot of land and remarked that the gesture demonstrated Sri Lanka’s conviction in supporting the just cause that the Palestinian issue represents, the Foreign Ministry said.

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