Muslims lay Jerusalem strategy

Islamic countries prepared plans Monday to break diplomatic relations with any country that opened an embassy in Jerusalem and moved to increase international pressure for a Palestinian homeland. The 40-nation Conference of Islamic Organizations meeting also made plans to seek United Nations sanctions against Israel.

The moves are in retaliation to the first reading of a bill in the Israeli Knesset (parliament) that would make Jerusalem its eternal and undivided capital. Arab East Jerusalem has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war.

The committee agreed to urge the conference to seek an immediate meeting of the UN Security Council to declare the Israeli action void and impose sanctions on the Jewish state.

Meanwhile, President Sadat told his Cabinet Monday that all measures taken by Israel concerning Arab East Jerusalem, including a proposal before the Israeli Knesset (parliament) to make Jerusalem its undivided capital, were illegal.