Global outrage grows against Trump's immigration decree.
"It is not justified to place people of a specific background or faith under general suspicion," said the spokesperson for German Chancellor Angela Merkel; "Terrorism knows no nationalities. Discrimination is not the answer," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraul, while his British counterpart Boris Johnson tweeted: "It is divisive and wrong to stigmatize by nationality"; US President Donald Trump's decree suspends the entry of refugees into the country for four months and temporarily bans travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, according to him to help protect Americans from terrorism.
By Maher Chmaytelli and Lin Noueihed
BAGHDAD/CAIRO (Reuters) - Global outrage over U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration measures has intensified after several countries, including former allies, called the measures discriminatory and divisive.
Governments in London and Berlin, as well as Jakarta and Tehran, criticized Trump's order suspending refugee entry into the country for four months and temporarily banning travelers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, which he said was to help protect Americans from terrorism.
In Germany – which has received many people fleeing the Syrian civil war – Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the global fight against terrorism is no excuse for the measures and "does not justify placing people of a specific background or faith under general suspicion," her spokesman said.
She expressed her concerns to Trump during a phone conversation and reminded him that the Geneva Conventions require the international community to receive refugees from wars for humanitarian reasons, the spokesman added.
Merkel's sentiments were echoed in Paris and London: "Terrorism knows no nationalities. Discrimination is not the answer," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraul, while his British counterpart Boris Johnson tweeted: "It is divisive and wrong to stigmatize by nationality."
Along with Syria, the US measure affects travelers with passports from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
Trump said his executive order, which indefinitely bans refugees from Syria, is not against "Muslims," although he stated he would seek to prioritize Christian refugees fleeing the war-torn country.
Washington's Arab allies, including Gulf states and Egypt, are generally silent.
The Iraqi government, which is allied with Washington in the battle against the extremist group Islamic State and hosts more than 5 Americans, also declined to comment on the presidential decree.
But some members of Parliament said Iraq should retaliate with similar measures against the United States.
In Baghdad, influential Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said that American citizens should leave Iraq in retaliation for travel restrictions.
"It would be arrogant for you to freely enter Iraq and other countries while barring their entry into your country... therefore, you must withdraw your citizens," he said on his website.
There was no immediate reaction from the Islamic State to the restrictions, although in the past the group has used the United States' monitoring of foreign Muslims to incite anger against Washington.