Erdogan says Turkey starting initiatives at U.N. to annul U.S. decision on Jerusalem

[December 15, 2017]    ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey is starting initiatives at the United Nations to annul a decision by the United States to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

Palestinian protestors shout slogans and hold a Palestinian flag during a demonsration after Friday prayers in Jerusalem's Old City, as Palestinians call for a "day of rage" in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital December 15, 2017 REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Speaking to crowds gathered in the central Anatolian city of Konya via teleconference, Erdogan said Turkey would first seek annulment of the move in the Security Council, and if that failed it would try at the UN General Assembly.

On Wednesday, Muslim leaders convened in Istanbul and condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and called on the world to respond by recognizing East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay; Editing by Dominic Evans)

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