Saudi king assures support for Palestinians in Jerusalem issue

RIYADH, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud affirmed on Wednesday his country's firm stand on the rights of Palestinians to have East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, Saudi Press Agency reported.

He said so while receiving visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The two leaders reviewed regional issues, during which the Saudi king also stressed the rights of Palestinians to have their independent state.

Saudi Arabia expressed early this month disappointment to the decision of the U.S. President Donald Trump recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocating the U.S. embassy there.

The step does not change the inalienable and preserved rights of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem, and other occupied territories, said the country.

Saudi Arabia also warned that the move exemplify a drastic regression in the efforts to move the peace process forward, and is a shift away from the U.S. historically impartial position with regard to the Jerusalem issue, which will further complicate the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Enditem