Erdogan criticizes Trump over Jerusalem move

By Sibel Ugurlu

ANKARA (AA) - The world leaders’ task is to make peace and not to create conflicts, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, referring to the U.S. President Donald Trump’s move on Jerusalem.

Speaking at Turkish Exporters’ Assembly’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week meeting, Erdogan said Trump’s decision on Jerusalem “contradicts international law, regional facts”.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump -- reversing decades of U.S. policy -- announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move Washington’s Israel embassy to the city.

The dramatic shift in Washington’s Jerusalem policy triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq and other Muslim countries.

“[U.S. President Donald] Trump wants to move on with [by saying] ‘I did and it’s OK’. Leading the world is not that easy. Being strong does not give you this right,” Erdogan said.

“Leaders of the big countries are tasked with making peace, not to create conflicts,” he added.