Morocco capital cancels Guatemala city twinning in protest of Jerusalem embassy move

Morocco's capital Rabat has cancelled plans for a twin city partnership with the capital of Guatemala in protest of the Central American country's transfer of its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Rabat's deputy mayor made the announcement in an online statement on Thursday, a day after Guatemala inaugurated its controversial Israel embassy in Jerusalem.

"Members of the Rabat city council have unanimously refused to deliberate on a twinning agreement between the capitals Rabat and Guatemala City," Lahcen Elomrani said on Facebook.

Elomrani said the move was made "in solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and in honour of the martyrs of the Return Marches."

He added that the council had previously planned to vote on the twinning project with Guatemala City last week.

Guatemala was the first country to follow the US by opening its embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, just days after Israeli troops opened fire on protests on Gaza border leaving at least 62 Palestinians dead.

US President Donald Trump ignored widespread anger and condemnation and pushed ahead with embassy relocation plans.

Global powers including the UK, France and Russia have slammed the US decision to move their embassy, while 128 nations backed a UN resolution rejecting the White House recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The King of Morocco has also condemned the embassy moves and the killing of Palestinian protesters by Israeli forces.

Nine countries - including the US and Israel - voted against the resolution: Guatemala, Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo.

Honduras is expected to follow Guatemala soon with opening an embassy in Jerusalem.

It is thought many of these nations are doing so to attract US and Israeli investment and aid.

Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and annexed it in a move not recognised internationally.

Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.