RAMALLAH, May 17, 2018 (WAFA) - If the Arab countries cannot take action against the United States for moving its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for various reasons, they can at least take measures against other countries, such as Guatemala, for moving its embassy and others who are thinking of following suit, Nabil Shaath, advisor to the President Mahmoud Abbas for foreign affairs, said on Thursday.

“We understand that the Arab countries are unable to close their embassies in the United States or expel American ambassadors from their countries because the US has big influence on the Arab countries through its economic, oil and military ties, but there must be a firm stand from Guatemala, which moved its embassy to Jerusalem, and Paraguay, which is threatening to move its embassy to Jerusalem,” Shaath told the official Voice of Palestine radio.

He stressed the need to launch political, economic and diplomatic war against any state that moves its embassy to Jerusalem, pointing out that the Arab countries can fight states such as Guatemala economically by stopping the import of cardamom, which the Arab market is one of its largest consumers, to be a deterrent to any state that dares to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem.

He said that the upcoming Arab foreign ministers’ meeting in Cairo should take a decision to enforce the decisions of the Arab summits calling for severing ties with any state that would transfer its embassy to Jerusalem.

As for the recall of the Palestinian ambassadors from Romania, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary, Shaath said this decision was a step prior to other steps that may follow to demand that the Arab countries close the embassies of these countries or expel their ambassadors if any of them transfers its embassy to Jerusalem.

M.K.