World Bulletin / News Desk

The extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) drew to a close late Friday following strong condemnations of Israeli killings of unarmed Palestinian protesters.

A news conference was held and a final declaration was issued after a session chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Speaking at a joint press conference with OIC Secretary General Yousef al-Othaimeen and Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah, Erdogan said they held a very meaningful summit in terms of showing solidarity with the Palestinian people as well as conveying the necessary messages to Israel, which has been carrying out a massacre in Gaza.

Criticizing Washington, Erdogan said responsibility for the consequences of "this provocative decision to sabotage the peace process entirely belongs to the U.S."

"We won't accept the unlawful decision of the U.S. to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem despite all warnings," Erdogan said. "We will never end our solidarity with the Palestinian people."

Erdogan also urged the international community, especially the United Nations Security Council, to fulfill their legal obligations with regards to Palestine.

Stressing that sending an international peace force to help Palestinians who are sacrificing their young children every day to Israeli terror is "imperative", he said: "We once again reject the U.S. decision on Jerusalem.”

He also said an aid campaign will be carried out during Ramadan across all OIC states for Palestinians.

Yousef al-Othaimeen, the OIC's secretary general, said in his closing speech that "We reiterated the need to provide international protection for the Palestinian people."

Regarding the practical measures the OIC would take in this regard, he said: "We decided to assign the OIC's secretariat general to form an international commission of experts to investigate the Israeli crimes in the Palestinian territories."

"We also confirmed that the U.S. move to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem has nothing to do with changing the realities on the ground.”

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, for his part, echoed the call for an international and transparent probe into the Israeli crimes in the Palestinian occupied territories.

"We confirm also the necessity for international protection for the Palestinian people," he said, adding "the U.S.’ opening of its embassy in Jerusalem is a provocative act that undermines peace prospects in the region and threatens international peace and security".

"Such a move emboldens Israel to continue its illegal actions against the Palestinian people," Hamdallah said.