Jerusalem – OIC FM special session communiqué – Letter from Morocco

Letter dated 29 September 1980 from the Permanent Representative of

Morocco to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit to you herewith the Arabic text of the final communiqué of the special session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers on the question of Al Qods (Jerusalem), held at Fez (Morocco) from 8 to 10 Dhu'l-Qa'ada 1400 A.H. (18 to 20 September 1980).

I should be grateful if you would have this text distributed as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda items 24 and 26, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Mehdi Mrani ZENTAR

 Permanent Representative

GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ORGANISATION OF THE

ISLAMIC CONFERENCE

FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE

OF FOREIGN MINISTERS ON THE QUESTION OF JERUSALEM

FEZ, KINGDOM OF MOROCCO,

8-10 DHU'L-QA'ADA 1400 A.H.

(18-20 SEPTEMBER 1980)

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

The special session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers was held in the city of Fez, Kingdom of Morocco, from 8 to 10 Dhu'l-Qa'ada 1400 A.H. (18 to 20 September 1980) on the recommendation of the Jerusalem Committee which met from 5 to 7 Shawwal 1400 A.H. (16 to 18 August 1980) in the city of Casablanca, Kingdom of Morocco, at the request of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

This special session was honoured by His Majesty King Hassan II of Morocco, His Excellency Al-Hajj Ahmed Sékou Touré, President of the Revolutionary People's Republic of Guinea, and His Excellency President Léopold Sédar Senghor of the Republic of Senegal.

The following participated in the work of the session:

–  the Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic Conference

–  the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

–  the State of Bahrain

–  the People's Republic of Bangladesh

–  the United Republic of Cameroon

–  the Republic of Djibouti

–  the Gabonese Republic

–  the Republic of the Gambia

–  the Revolutionary People's Republic of Guinea

–  the Republic of Indonesia

–  the Republic of Iraq

–  the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

–  the State of Kuwait

–  the Lebanese Republic

–  the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

–  Malaysia

–  the Republic of Maldives

–  the Republic of Mali

–  the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

–  the Kingdom of Morocco

–  the Republic of the Niger

–  the Sultanate of Oman

–  the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

–  Palestine

–  the State of Qatar

–  the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

–  the Republic of Senegal

–  the Somali Democratic Republic

–  the Democratic Republic of the Sudan

–  the Syrian Arab Republic

–  the Republic of Chad

–  the Republic of Tunisia

–  the Republic of Turkey

–  the Republic of Uganda

–  the United Arab Emirates

–  the Yemen Arab Republic

–  the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen

The session was also attended by H.E. Dr. Rauf Denktash, President of the Turkish Cypriot Muslim Community, as an observer.

H.E. President Al-Hajj Ahmed Sékou Touré made a notable statement in which he explained the gravity of the current situation with regard to the question of Jerusalem and Palestine and indicated that the Israeli decision to annex Jerusalem posed a challenge to humanity as a whole. He also emphasized that the City of Jerusalem could not become the property of Israel.

     His Excellency then drew attention to the fact that Islam derived its strength not from weapons but rather from its intrinsic nature as a religious faith, an ideology and a code of behaviour and morality. He called for strict adherence to those lofty principles which would ensure the achievement of victory and the recovery of Jerusalem.

     His Excellency went on to explain the Islamic principles which guaranteed the identity and the creative abilities of Muslims, wherever they might be, and which made every Muslim an integral member of his society from which he could be neither detached nor isolated.

     H.E. Mr. Muhammad Shamsul Huq, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, then read the text of a telegram from H.E. President Ziaur Rahman of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, in his capacity as a member of the Summit Committee on Jerusalem established at the special session of the Jerusalem Committee in Casablanca, addressed to H.M. King Hassan II, in which he expressed his deep regret at not being able to join H.M. King Hassan II and

H.E. President Al-Hajj Ahmed Sékou Touré and participate in this special session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in view of the dreadful floods which his country had experienced.

He stressed that both he and the people of Bangladesh attached the greatest importance to the work of this session and that they wished to express their full solidarity with their Arab and Muslim brothers.

H.E. President Senghor made a statement in which he indicated that his country had been among the first to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization following the resolution of the Arab Summit Conference at Rabat which designated the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

His Excellency condemned the Israeli decision to annex Jerusalem. He stressed that Jerusalem was a Holy City not only for the Jews but also for the Christians and Muslims and that 2 billion Muslims and Christians, constituting half the population of the world, were today protesting at the challenge with which Israel was confronting them.

His Excellency then emphasized that it would be better for the Conference to base itself on the legal and moral reasons mentioned when justifying its demand, at the United Nations, for the return of the City of Jerusalem to its former status prior to 1967.

H.M. King Hassan II of Morocco then gave an edifying address which he began by quoting the Quranic verse:

His Majesty explained that, in Islam, "jihad" should not be interpreted as signifying holy wars or crusades but rather as strategic military and political action and psychological warfare which, if applied by the Muslim community, would guarantee victory over the enemy.

     He declared that Islam yielded, not to force or tyranny, but only to the omnipotence of God and to the power of reason and that the recent Zionist decision had affected the Islamic World since the Islamic religion and the noble ethics propounded by the Prophet had taught us not to become angry unless the sanctuaries of God were violated. What crime could be greater than the violation of Jerusalem, the first of the two qiblas to which men turned in prayer and the third most holy shrine in Islam?

In the name of the Islamic community, His Majesty assured his brothers, the Palestinian freedom-fighters, that it was not only they who had lost Jerusalem.  The entire Islamic world shared its loss and would participate in its recovery.  The obligation to safeguard Jerusalem rested not only with the Palestinians but with every Muslim man and woman.

His Majesty expressed his conviction that the forthcoming Islamic Summit Conference due to be held at Mecca in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would be a rallying point for all Muslims and would eliminate existing antagonisms within the Arab World. His Majesty called for the intensification of efforts, the closing of ranks and the exploitation of mistakes made by the enemy, emphasizing that joint action was preferable to individual endeavours and that collective thought, planning and organization was the best way to facilitate the achievement of the objective.

The Conference was then addressed by H.E. Mr. Habib Chatti, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, who referred to recent events and developments affecting the question of Jerusalem since the eleventh session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad and the reactions which they had elicited in Arab, Islamic and international circles.

He also indicated that it was incumbent on this session to determine the fields in which the resources of the Islamic World should be fully mobilized so that the jihad could enter a more effective practical stage in response to our peoples' desire for jihad, especially since we have international public opinion on our side in this battle in view of our resolute stand and our firm determination to press on in the face of Israel despite the expansionist designs of that entity which is usurping the rights of the Islamic World.

In conclusion, the Secretary-General commended the endeavours being made by H.M. King Hassan II who, in his capacity as Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee, was motivated by his customary lofty Islamic spirit and by his characteristic zeal, courage and valour in defence of the sublime ideals derived from our religious faith.

H.E. Mr. Agha Shahi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, then addressed the Conference in his capacity as Chairman of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers. He stressed that, at its last meeting in Casablanca, the Jerusalem Committee had adopted a comprehensive plan of action to be implemented by the Islamic States at the national and international levels and through the United Nations with a view to stopping Israel from resorting to the use of force and repression to complete the annexation of the City of Jerusalem and entirely obliterate its Islamic and Christian character.

He emphasized that the cause of Palestine had reached a critical and explosive stage and that there was a consequent need for positive and responsible action on the part of the Islamic Conference. He indicated that a change was taking place in favour of the cause of Palestine. The abstention of the European States in the vote on the resolution relating to Palestine during the special session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the subsequent sponsoring of a resolution on Jerusalem by the European States Members of the Security Council and the condemnation of Israeli policy by major religious groups such as the World Council of Churches were all indicators of an increasing recognition of our just position on this issue.

In conclusion, he commended the role played by H.M. King Hassan II, the initial founder of the Islamic Conference and the guiding spirit and constant inspiration of this Organization, and thanked both H.E. President Al-Hajj Ahmed Sékou Touré and H.E. President Léopold Sédar Senghor for attending this session and for their commitment to the liberation of Jerusalem and the struggle of the Palestinian people.

The Conference unanimously elected H.E. Mr. Mohamed Boucetta, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation of the Kingdom of Morocco, as Chairman of this special session and H.E. Mr. Fathulla Jameel, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives, as first Vice-Chairman and H.E. Mr. Hamid Al-Gabid, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Niger as second Vice-Chairman and H.E. Mr. Agha Shahi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as Rapporteur of the Conference.

During its plenary sessions, the Conference was addressed by a number of heads of delegations who expressed the views of their countries with regard to the question of Jerusalem and the question of Palestine in general and it became clear that opinion was unanimously in favour of the achievement by the Muslim World of its objectives, namely the liberation of Jerusalem from the evil clutches of zionism and the realization of the legitimate national right of the Palestinian people to return to their homeland, to self-determination without external interference and to the establishment of their independent State on their national soil.

Opinion was also unanimous with regard to the need to abandon the customary adoption of resolutions based on the condemnation and censure of Israeli attitudes and arbitrary acts in favour of the adoption of resolutions specifying bold, positive and effective steps to meet the Zionist challenge and to ensure the consolidation and co-ordination of all the capacities and resources of the Islamic States to that end.

The Conference authorized the Chairman of the special session to send a telegram to H.E. President Ziaur Rahman of the People's Republic of Bangladesh expressing the sympathy and solidarity of the Islamic peoples following the loss of life and property resulting from the floods which had devastated certain areas of the sister country of Bangladesh.

The Chairman informed the Conference that he had received a letter from the Eritrean Liberation Front (People's Liberation Forces) requesting support from the Islamic Conference in their struggle to liberate the people of Eritrea.

Working papers were submitted to the Conference by the following:

–  the Kingdom of Morocco

–  the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

–  the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Syrian Arab Republic

–  the Republic of Iraq

A drafting committee was formed from the following delegations:

–  the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

–  the Palestine Liberation Organization

–  the Syrian Arab Republic

–  the Kingdom of Morocco

–  the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

–  the Republic of Iraq

–  the Republic of Senegal

–  the United Republic of Cameroon

–  the People's Republic of Bangladesh

–  the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

During the discussion and consideration of the working papers submitted and during the review of the situation resulting from the decision by the Israeli Knesset to annex Jerusalem, the Conference expressed its deep appreciation of the efforts made by H.M. King Hassan II, Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee, for the liberation of Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories. The Conference also gave its blessing and support to the content of the Saudi-Iraqi communiqué issued at Taif, to the efforts made by all the member States and, in particular, to the Syrian communiqué to the Arab League and the note from the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The Conference expressed its support for the steadfastness of Syria in the face of the parties to the Camp David accords. The Conference also expressed its censure and condemnation of the Zionist campaign against the Islamic States and, in particular, Iraq because of the programme adopted by those States for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes with a view to the development of their scientific and technological capabilities. The Conference stressed that those threats had assumed serious dimensions and had led to a further escalation of tension in the Middle East. The Conference called upon world public opinion to condemn those threats, stressed the right of the Islamic States and the developing countries in general to acquire and use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and recommended co-operation among the Islamic States in the field of the acquisition and utilization of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

At the conclusion of its work, the Conference expressed its deep gratitude and appreciation to the King, Government and people of Morocco for their kind hospitality and for their efforts which had been highly instrumental in ensuring the success of the Conference's work.

As an expression of the determination of the Islamic States to meet the Israeli challenge and of their resolve to liberate Jerusalem and recover the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, the Conference approved a resolution containing the following major points:

RESOLUTION

Special Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers

on the Question of Jerusalem

Fez, Kingdom of Morocco,

8 to 10 Dhu'l-Qa'ada 1400 A.H.

(18 to 20 September 1980)

The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, meeting in special session, on the recommendation of the Jerusalem Committee, in the City of Fez from 8 to 10 Dhu'l-Qa'ada 1400 A.H. (18 to 20 September 1980), studied the grave situation facing the question of Jerusalem and Palestine as a result of the adoption by the Israeli Knesset of its decision to annex the City of Jerusalem as the "undivided and eternal capital" of the Zionist entity and regarded that decision as an open challenge to the sentiments of Muslims, as an act of aggression directed against the Islamic States and as a confirmation of Israel's refusal to be bound by the recent Security Council resolution 478 declaring null and void all Israeli legislative and administrative measures and actions which have altered or purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem and calling for their rescission forthwith.

Whereas the Islamic States are committed to meet this challenge, intent on the liberation of Jerusalem and resolved to secure Arab Islamic sovereignty over the Holy City; and in affirmation of their support for the people of Palestine, their determination to face up to this Israeli aggression with all the potential and resources at their disposal and their resolve to continue to provide support for the heroic struggle of the people of Palestine until Jerusalem is liberated and the Palestinian people recover their inalienable rights, including their right to return, to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent State on their territory; and in keeping with the spirit of Islamic solidarity, the Conference adopted the following resolution:

1. Adoption of the recommendations and resolutions formulated by the Jerusalem Committee at its special meeting held at Casablanca and the commitment of the Islamic States to their implementation.

2. Affirmation of the commitment of the Islamic States to the utilization of all their political, financial, oil and military resources to counter the Israeli decision to annex Jerusalem and confirmation that the political and economic boycott will be applied to States which recognize the Israeli decision, contribute to its implementation or establish embassies in Jerusalem.

3. The Conference calls upon all States not to have dealings with the Israeli authorities in any form which might be construed by those authorities as constituting recognition of a fait accompli in Jerusalem and the other occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and consequently render them liable to the provisions of the boycott.

4. The Conference welcomes Security Council resolution 478 of 20 August 1980 and calls upon the Council to take the necessary measures for the imposition against Israel of the military and economic sanctions specified in the Charter of the United Nations.

5. The Conference expresses its complete satisfaction at the way in which States have responded by transferring their embassies from Jerusalem, thereby recognizing the invalidity and illegality of the Israeli decision, and notes that the compliance by all States with the call of the Islamic States for the transfer of their embassies from Jerusalem emphasizes the unanimous rejection by the international community of the Israeli action in annexing Jerusalem and making it the capital of their entity.

6. The Conference notes with satisfaction the position adopted by the Federal Government of Switzerland in declining to sign an agreement with Israel in Jerusalem and hopes that all States will follow that example.

7. Affirmation that the Islamic States will assist the Palestine Liberation Organization with every means at their disposal and will provide that Organization with the support needed to face up to the war of aggression which Israel is launching against the Palestinian people in occupied Palestine and South Lebanon with a view to their liquidation and annihilation. The Conference condemns Israeli aggression against South Lebanon and calls upon member States to help the Lebanese Government to stop such acts of aggression.

8. Material and political support for the Palestinian Arab people both within and outside their occupied homeland and the strengthening of their abilities to counter the schemes of the autonomy conspiracy and to resist the occupation and its racist practices.

9. The Conference calls upon States members of the Islamic Conference which previously recognized Israel to withdraw such recognition and to sever all their political and economic relations with Israel.

10. Continued resistance to the procedures and accords formulated at Camp David until they are abandoned and rendered abortive.

11. The Conference emphasizes its condemnation of the policy of the United States of America for the support which it is giving to the Israeli occupation authorities in their settlement practices and in their acts of aggression against Islamic Holy Places in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and for the positions which it has adopted in favour of Israel and against Palestinian rights in international fora in a manner inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations, with the resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations and with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Any support for the Zionist entity in its illegal occupation and in its aggression against the Holy Places, whether openly or secretly, directly or indirectly, represents defiance of the Islamic World.

12. Non-acceptance of any political settlement to resolve the question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict while the balance of power is disturbed as a result of the signing of the accords at Camp David and Washington (the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty) and Israeli practices; considering Security Council resolution 242 as incompatible with Arab and Islamic rights and as an inappropriate basis for a solution of the Middle East crisis and, in particular, of the question of Palestine; adherence to the implementation of United Nations resolutions concerning the question of Palestine and, in particular, resolution 1 adopted by the General Assembly at its seventh special session and the rejection of any initiatives which are incompatible with those resolutions.

13. The undertaking of political action at the United Nations and with the great Powers, particularly the European Group, with a view to winning more support for the Palestinian cause and increasing the isolation of Israel.

14. Endeavours to obtain the adoption by the General Assembly at its current session of a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding Israeli practices and measures in violation of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people and regarding the acts of aggression committed by the Israeli authorities against the Palestinian people in Palestine and the occupied Arab territories, provided that the procedures for the submission of the request for the advisory opinion shall not prejudice the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people and that this shall be done with the approval of the Palestine Liberation Organization, sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

15. Calling upon the General Assembly of the United Nations to decline to accept the credentials of the Israeli delegation to the United Nations on the grounds that it represents a Government which is violating international legality and making Jerusalem its capital.

16. Requesting the great Powers and international organizations to shoulder their responsibilities and to face up to the Israeli challenge by imposing sanctions against Israel in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

17. The Conference calls upon all States to endeavour to prevent Jewish emigration to the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories in view of the Zionist policy of settlement in those territories and Israel's persistence in refusing to recognize the Palestinian people's right to return to their homeland, to exercise their right of self-determination and sovereignty and to establish their independent State on their national soil.

18. Intensification of contacts with the Vatican and Christian bodies with a view to explaining the Islamic position with regard to the recent Israeli decision and calling upon them to support the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization.

19. The conducting of an extensive information campaign to censure the Israeli decision, and endeavours to implement the information plan to meet the Israeli challenge.

20. Calling upon member States to halt their loans and contributions to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank unless the latter agree to accept the Palestine Liberation Organization as a member with observer status.

21. The establishment of an Islamic Office for the Boycott of Israel to implement the resolutions of the Islamic Conference in this regard, provided that there is co-ordination between that Office and the principle Office for the Boycott of Israel established by the secretariat of the League of Arab States.

22. Coverage of the capital of the Jerusalem Fund and consideration of the Fund as a religious endowment.

23. The Islamic States declare their commitment to a holy "jihad" with all its broad human implications of steadfastness and resistance against the Zionist enemy on all fronts, whether military, political, economic, informational or cultural.

24. Assigning the Jerusalem Committee with the task of preparing a comprehensive plan for the mobilization of all the resources of the Islamic States to counter Israeli aggression, referring the contents of the Palestinian-Syrian working paper concerning economic, military and political issues to that Committee, and the submission of that plan to the forthcoming Islamic Summit Conference due to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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