Philippine Muslims condemn U.S. decision on Jerusalem

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines Muslims on the island of Mindanao condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The denunciation comes on the heels as 128 countries voted on Thursday in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution, rejecting the U.S. president's decision. The ulama and learned Muslims earlier called Trump's declaration as malicious and an insult not only to the Palestinian people but to the Muslim Ummah (Nation) and the International community. "This is a blatant disrespect, and disregard to the Palestinians traditional right over the city, and major religions that hold East Jerusalem sacred," Nomaire Bin Hussen, Chairman of Bangsamoro Action Against Injustices, said in a statement. Part of their manifesto said: "We, the concerned Bangsamoro leaders denounce this move by U.S. President Trump in the strongest terms possible, and we also call on the entire Muslim Ummah to unite, preserve and protect the Holy site." The Cotabato-based Da’wah Council said Trump's Jerusalem decision is a big issue for the 1.8 billion Muslim Ummah around the world. They also called for a boycott of U.S. and Israel products and urged a Fatwa that prohibits the Muslims from buying any products from these two countries. Meanwhile, Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was jubilated over the UN General Assembly's vote to reject Trump's decision on Jerusalem. "We are very happy to the UN declaration for not supporting the position of the US president. At least the UN stood up on its old resolutions," Hataman told local reporters Friday night. Denouncing Trump's move to transfer the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the ARMM governor said it will only breed more extremism and create more violence. To the Muslims, Hataman said the Al-Aqsa mosque, situated in East Jerusalem, is a place of great religious significance and one of the Meccas of Islam believers. "We, Muslims, in Mindanao thank the UN for its position and we also thank the countries that voted together against Trump's declaration," he said.