Jordan slams Papua New Guinea's embassy opening in Jerusalem

By Laith Al-Jnaidi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - Jordan on Thursday condemned the opening of Papua New Guinea an embassy in Jerusalem, calling the move a "flagrant violation of international law."

Sinan Majali, a spokesman for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, said in a statement that any measures "aimed at changing the holy city's legal status are null, illegal, and have no legal effect."

On Tuesday, the small Pacific nation opened an embassy to Israel in Jerusalem, becoming the fifth country to move its embassy to Jerusalem.

In 2018, the US moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that was followed by several countries including Honduras, Guatemala, and Kosovo.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the decades-long Mideast conflict, with Palestinians insisting that East Jerusalem – illegally occupied by Israel since 1967 – should serve as the capital of a Palestinian state.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara