The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned Brazil yesterday for opening of a trade office in Jerusalem, warning the move would undermine relations between Brazil and OIC member countries.

The Saudi Press Agency said OIC also expressed its “deep regret” that Brazil had changed its foreign policy toward Palestinians, calling on the Brazilian government to reverse the decision which supports “illegal Israeli policies aimed at encroaching the legal and historic status of the occupied city of Jerusalem.”

On Thursday, the Arab League condemned Brazil’s decision and said that the opening of the trade office will “seriously damage” Brazil’s political and economic interests in the Arab world.

At an emergency meeting convened in Cairo, representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq, among other states, criticized Brazil’s move as a violation of international law, and voiced their continued support for the Palestinian right to the holy city.

“Such a negative change in Brazilian foreign policy toward Palestinians would seriously damage Arab-Brazilian shared political, economic and diplomatic interests,” the council said in a statement.