Erdoğan discusses Jerusalem with world leaders

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed Jerusalem with the presidents of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Lebanon.

Erdoğan is continuing to conduct diplomatic communication with many global leaders and heads of government.

The president discussed the Jerusalem issue with the leaders of Malaysia, Tunisia, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia and Sudan on Friday. Erdoğan also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Pope Francis.

President Erdoğan and his French counterpart Macron agreed on "close cooperation" over Jerusalem.

Erdoğan emphasized that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is a blow to the peace process, and added that an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is crucial for peace and stability in the region.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the decision to recognize Jerusalem and move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv despite widespread international opposition.

Jerusalem remains at the core of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem - now occupied by Israel - might serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

On Oct. 18 2015, UNESCO said Israel was “occupying” al-Aqsa Mosque and condemned “the Israeli escalating aggressions and illegal measures.”

Ahead of his election last year, Trump repeatedly promised to relocate the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.