Palestine question – Resolution of OIC FM Conference – Letter from Indonesia (excerpts)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY COUNCIL

Fifty-first session Fifty-second year

Agenda items 31, 33, 35, 39, 56,

  58 and 74

COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS

  AND THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC

  CONFERENCE

THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

QUESTION OF PALESTINE

THE SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN AND ITS

  IMPLICATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL

  PEACE AND SECURITY

THE SITUATION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

QUESTION OF CYPRUS

THE RISK OF NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION IN

  THE MIDDLE EAST

           Letter dated 13 January 1997 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i.

           of the Permanent Mission of Indonesia to the United Nations

addressed to the Secretary-General

I have the honour to transmit to you herewith the final communiqué and resolutions adopted at the twenty-fourth session of the Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, held in Jakarta from 9 to 13 December 1996 (see annexes).*

I should be grateful if you would have these documents circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda items 31, 33, 35, 39, 56, 58 and 74, and of the Security Council.

(Signed)  Makarim WIBISONO

Ambassador

Chargé d’affaires a.i.

__________

* The annexes are being issued in the languages of submission only.

Annexes

            Page

I.Final communiqué ………………………………………….1

II.Report and resolutions on political affairs, Muslim communities

and minorities, legal affairs and information questions ……….44

III.Resolutions on statutory and general matters …………………174

IV.Report and resolutions on economic, science and technology affairs183

V.Report and resolutions on cultural and Islamic affairs ………..258

VI.Report and resolutions on administrative and financial affairs …325

pp. 1-43 are offset pages

Annex II

          REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS ON POLITICAL AFFAIRS, MUSLIM COMMUNITIES

          AND MINORITIES, LEGAL AFFAIRS AND INFORMATION QUESTIONS,

          TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN

MINISTERS (SESSION OF FRATERNITY AND COOPERATION)

JAKARTA, REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

28 RAJAB-3 SHA’ABAN 1417H

(9-13 DECEMBER 1996)

CONTENTS

Subject             Page

Report of the Chairman of the Political Affairs Committee ……..48

A.PALESTINE AND THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT

Resolution No. 1/24-P on the question of Palestine and the

Arab-Israeli conflict ……………………………………..50

Resolution No. 2/24-P on the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif ………..57

Resolution No. 3/24-P on the occupied Syrian Golan ……………63

Resolution No. 4/24-P on the occupation of Lebanese territory by

Israel and continuing detention of Lebanese in its prisons and

detention camps …………………………………………..66

Resolution No. 5/24-P on Al-Quds Fund and its waqf ……………68

B.POLITICAL AFFAIRS

Resolution No. 6/24-P on the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ..70

Resolution No. 7/24-P on the Action Programme for Bosnia and

Herzegovina ………………………………………………74

Resolution No. 8/24-P on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute ………..78

Resolution No. 9/24-P on the situation in Afghanistan …………82

Resolution No. 10/24-P on the situation in Somalia ……………85

Resolution No. 11/24-P on the consequences of Iraqi aggression

against the State of Kuwait and the necessity for Iraq to

implement all the relevant Security Council resolutions ……….88

Resolution No. 12/24-P on the aggression of the Republic of

Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan …………………..90

CONTENTS (continued)

Subject             Page

Resolution No. 13/24-P on the United States aggression against

the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya …………..93

Resolution No. 14/24-P on the crisis between the Great Socialist

People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, on the one hand, and the United

States, the United Kingdom and the Republic of France, on the

other ……………………………………………………95

Resolution No. 15/24-P on the solidarity with the Islamic Republic

of Iran and the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

concerning the D’Amato Law …………………………………98

Resolution No. 16/24-P on the situation in Cyprus …………….99

Resolution No. 17/24-P on the Comorian island of Mayotte ………102

Resolution No. 18/24-P on the situation in Kosovo …………….104

Resolution No. 19/24-P on the developments taking place in the

world, especially in Eastern and Central Europe, and their impact

on the Islamic world ………………………………………106

Resolution No. 20/24-P on the security and solidarity of Islamic

States …………………………………………………..109

Resolution No. 21/24-P on the developments in the international

situation and steps taken for general and complete disarmament

and its implications for the security of Islamic States ……….112

Resolution No. 22/24-P on the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free

zones in Africa, the Middle East and South-East Asia ………….115

Resolution No. 23/24-P on the strengthening of the security of

non-nuclear-weapon States against the threat or use of nuclear

weapons ………………………………………………….118

Resolution No. 24/24-P on regional arms control and disarmament ..121

Resolution No. 25/24-P on the regional military balance ……….123

Resolution No. 26/24-P on the problem of dumping of dangerous

nuclear and toxic wastes in the Islamic States ……………….124

Resolution No. 27/24-P on anti-personnel mines and mine-clearing

operations ……………………………………………….126

Resolution No. 28/24-P on support for coordination and

consultation among Islamic States …………………………..128

 CONTENTS (continued)

Subject             Page

Resolution No. 29/24-P on Islamic solidarity with the peoples

of the Sahel ……………………………………………..130

Resolution No. 30/24-P on the critical economic situation in

Africa …………………………………………………..132

Resolution No. 31/24-P on reparations for colonialism and the

after-effects of war ………………………………………134

Resolution No. 32/24-P on support for the efforts of the Sudan to

achieve national unity, peace and development, and to safeguard

its identity and cultural heritage in the face of current

challenges ……………………………………………….137

Resolution No. 33/24-P on support for the Niger’s efforts to

consolidate its national unity and achieve its objectives for the

development of the northern pastoral area ……………………139

Resolution No. 34/24-P on the rehabilitation and development of

the northern region of Mali ………………………………..140

Resolution No. 35/24-P on the use of science and technology for

development ………………………………………………142

Resolution No. 36/24-P on the problem of refugees in the Muslim

world ……………………………………………………144

Resolution No. 37/24-P on assistance to the Republic of the Sudan

to shelter refugees and displaced persons ……………………146

C.MUSLIM COMMUNITIES AND MINORITIES

Resolution No. 38/24-P on the general situation of Muslim

communities and minorities in non-OIC member States …………..148

Resolution No. 39/24-P on the question of Muslims in the southern

Philippines ………………………………………………152

D.LEGAL AFFAIRS

Resolution No. 40/24-P on the International Islamic Court of

Justice ………………………………………………….156

Resolution No. 41/24-P on the follow-up to the Cairo Declaration

on human rights in Islam …………………………………..158

Resolution No. 42/24-P on coordination among member States in the

field of human rights ……………………………………..160

CONTENTS (continued)

Subject             Page

Resolution No. 43/24-P on the status of signature and ratification

of the agreements concluded under the auspices of the Organization

of the Islamic Conference ………………………………….162

Resolution No. 44/24-P on the convening of an international

conference under the auspices of the United Nations to define

terrorism and distinguish it from people’s struggle for national

liberation ……………………………………………….163

Resolution No. 45/24-P on the follow-up to the Code of Conduct

for Combating International Terrorism ……………………….165

Resolution No. 46/24-P on the strengthening of Islamic solidarity

in combating hijacking …………………………………….167

E.INFORMATION QUESTIONS

Resolution No. 47/24-P on the activities of the Organization of

the Islamic Conference under the auspices of the Fifth Session

of the Standing Committee for Information and Cultural Affairs

(COMIAC) …………………………………………………169

Resolution No. 48/24-P on the Information Plan ……………….170

Resolution No. 49/24-P on the International Islamic News Agency ..172

Resolution No. 50/24-P on the Islamic States Broadcasting

Organization (ISBO) ……………………………………….173

pp. 48-173 are offset pages

Annex III

            RESOLUTIONS ON STATUTORY AND GENERAL MATTERS ADOPTED BY THE

            TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN

MINISTERS (SESSION OF FRATERNITY AND COOPERATION)

CONTENTS

Title             Page

Resolution No. 1/24-ORG on the functioning of the Organization

of the Islamic Conference, the subsidiary organs, the specialized

and affiliated institutions ………………………………..175

Resolution No. 2/24-ORG on cooperation between the Organization

of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations ……………..177

Resolution No. 3/24-ORG on cooperation between the Organization

of the Islamic Conference and international and regional

organizations …………………………………………….180

Resolution No. 4/24-ORG on the date and venue of the twenty-fifth

session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers ………..182

pp. 175-182 are offset pages

Annex IV

        REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS ON ECONOMIC, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AFFAIRS

        ADOPTED BY THE TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF

FOREIGN MINISTERS (SESSION OF FRATERNITY AND COOPERATION)

CONTENTS

Subject             Page

Report on economic, science and technology affairs ……………186

Resolution No. 1/24-E on economic problems facing the Islamic

countries ………………………………………………..189

Resolution No. 2/24-E on the implications of the establishment of

regional and international economic groupings for the Islamic

world ……………………………………………………191

Resolution No. 3/24-E on economic problems of the least developed

and land-locked member States ………………………………193

Resolution No. 4/24-E on eradication of poverty in the least

developed and low-income OIC member States …………………..195

Resolution No. 5/24-E on the external debt of African and other

member countries of OIC ……………………………………197

Resolution No. 6/24-E on the need for a qualitative leap in

economic relations among member States in the light of the current

changes in the world economy ……………………………….199

Resolution No. 7/24-E on the economic problems of the Palestinian

people in the occupied Palestinian Territories, of the Syrian

citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan, of the Lebanese population

in occupied Southern Lebanon and the Western Bekka and of the

Arab people in other occupied Arab territories ……………….202

Resolution No. 8/24-E on assistance to member States stricken by

drought and natural calamities ……………………………..205

Resolution No. 9/24-E on economic and social losses for the Great

Jamahiriya of the Security Council resolutions 748 (1992) and

883 (1993) ……………………………………………….207

Resolution No. 10/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic of

Lebanon ………………………………………………….208

Resolution No. 11/24-E on assistance to Muslims in Bosnia and

Herzegovina ………………………………………………210

CONTENTS (continued)

Subject             Page

Resolution No. 12/24-E on economic assistance to Somalia ………212

Resolution No. 13/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic

of Guinea in the face of refugee influx from Liberia and

Sierra Leone ……………………………………………..213

Resolution No. 14/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic of

Sierra Leone ……………………………………………..214

Resolution No. 15/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic of

Albania ………………………………………………….216

Resolution No. 16/24-E on economic assistance to Afghanistan …..217

Resolution No. 17/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic of

Uganda …………………………………………………..218

Resolution No. 18/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic of

Azerbaijan ……………………………………………….219

Resolution No. 19/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic of

Kyrgyzstan ……………………………………………….220

Resolution No. 20/24-E on assistance to the Kashmiri people ……221

Resolution No. 21/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic of

Yemen ……………………………………………………222

Resolution No. 22/24-E on economic assistance to the State of

Palestine ………………………………………………..224

Resolution No. 23/24-E on economic assistance to the Republic of

Mozambique ……………………………………………….226

Resolution No. 24/24-E on activities under the auspices of the

Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation

(COMCEC) …………………………………………………227

Resolution No.  25/24-E on cooperation in the field of tourism …231

Resolution No. 26/24-E on the status of the signing and

ratification of agreements and statutes on economic cooperation ..233

Resolution No. 27/24-E on review of the activities of the

subsidiary organs active in the economic and trade fields ……..235

Resolution No. 28/24-E on support for the Islamic Development

Bank (IDB) ……………………………………………….237

CONTENTS (continued)

Subject             Page

Resolution No. 29/24-E on affiliated institutions of OIC

operating in the field of economy and commerce ……………….240

Resolution No. 30/24-E on alleviating the effects of floods and

torrential rains in the Sudan ………………………………243

Resolution No. 31/24-E on the Islamic Foundation for Science,

Technology and Development …………………………………244

Resolution No. 32/24-E on environmental problems in the Islamic

world including Israeli practices and their effects on the

environment in the occupied Palestinian territories, in the

occupied Syrian Golan, in occupied Southern Lebanon and the

Western Bekka and in other Arab territories occupied by Israel …245

Resolution No. 33/24-E on cooperation among member States against

epidemic diseases which affect human and animal resources and

natural life ……………………………………………..251

Resolution No. 34/24-E on cooperation in combating drug abuse,

psychotropic substances and their illegal production, processing

and trafficking …………………………………………..253

Resolution No. 35/24-E on environment, sustainable development

and ways and means to deal with the issues of environment and

health …………………………………………………..256

pp. 186-257 are offset pages

Annex V

             REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS ON CULTURAL AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS OF

             THE TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF

             FOREIGN MINISTERS (SESSION OF FRATERNITY AND COOPERATION)

CONTENTS

Subject             Page

Report of the Cultural and Islamic Affairs Committee of the

twenty-fourth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers …………261

Resolution No. 1/24-C on the Islamic University in the Niger …..263

Resolution No. 2/24-C on the Islamic University in Uganda ……..265

Resolution No. 3/24-C on the International Islamic University

in Malaysia ………………………………………………267

Resolution No. 4/24-C on the Islamic University in Bangladesh ….269

Resolution No. 5/24-C on King Faisal Mosque in Ndjamena ……….270

Resolution No. 6/24-C on the Regional Institute of Islamic Studies

and Research, Timbuctu, Mali ……………………………….271

Resolution No. 7/24-C on the Regional Institute for Complementary

Education (RICE), Islamabad ………………………………..272

Resolution No. 8/24-C on the Islamic Centre in Guinea-Bissau …..273

Resolution No. 9/24-C on the establishment of the Islamic Cultural

Centre in Moroni ………………………………………….274

Resolution No. 10/24-C on the Islamic Institute of Translation in

Khartoum …………………………………………………275

Resolution No. 11/24-C on studying ways and means of implementing

and executing the Cultural Strategy and the Plan of Action for the

Islamic World …………………………………………….276

Resolution No. 12/24-C on the adoption of a unified stand on the

belittling of Islamic sanctities and values ………………….277

Resolution No. 13/24-C on the International Islamic Women’s

Organization and role of women in Islamic society …………….279

Resolution No. 14/24-C on child care and protection in the Islamic

world ……………………………………………………281

CONTENTS (continued)

Subject             Page

Resolution No. 15/24-C on the education and rehabilitation of

Muslim youth ……………………………………………..284

Resolution No. 16/24-C on the unified Hijri calendar for the

beginning of the lunar month and the unification of Islamic

holidays …………………………………………………285

Resolution No. 17/24-C on the destruction of the Babri Masjid

and protection of Islamic holy places ……………………….286

Resolution No. 18/24-C on the destruction of mosques and Islamic

monuments in Bosnia and Herzegovina …………………………288

Resolution No. 19/24-C on the inclusion of information on the

Islamic communities in the Balkans and the Caucasus in history

and geography textbooks and other publications ……………….290

Resolution No. 20/24-C on the provision of assistance to the

Muslims in Kosovo and Sanjak ……………………………….292

Resolution No. 21/24-C on the proposal for the establishment of

an Islamic Centre for Advanced Medical Training and Research

in Bangladesh …………………………………………….293

Resolution No. 22/24-C on the proposed project for a new campus

for the Zeitouna University in Tunisia ………………………294

Resolution No. 23/24-C on the destruction of Charar-e-Sharif

Islamic Complex in Kashmir …………………………………295

Resolution No. 24/24-C on the twinning of Palestinian universities

in the Occupied Territories and universities in the OIC member

States …………………………………………………..296

Resolution No. 25/24-C on the teaching of the subject of the

history and geography of Palestine ………………………….298

Resolution No. 26/24-C on the educational situation in the

Occupied Palestinian Territories and Syrian Golan …………….299

Resolution No. 27/24-C on the preservation of the Islamic

character of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and its human heritage and

religious rights ………………………………………….302

Resolution No. 28/24-C on the Israeli aggressions against

Islamic shrines in Al-Khalil ……………………………….304

CONTENTS (continued)

Subject             Page

Resolution No. 29/24-C on the Research Centre for Islamic History,

Art and Culture (IRCICA), Istanbul ………………………….306

Resolution No. 30/24-C on the International Commission for the

Preservation of the Islamic Cultural Heritage (ICPICH), Istanbul .308

Resolution No. 31/24-C on the Islamic Fiqh Academy ……………310

Resolution No. 32/24-C on the Islamic Solidarity Fund and its Waqf312

Resolution No. 33/24-C on the Islamic Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization (ISESCO) ……………………………..314

Resolution No. 34/24-C on the Islamic Committee of the

International Crescent, Benghazi ……………………………318

Resolution No. 35/24-C on the Sports Federation of the Islamic

Solidarity Games ………………………………………….319

Resolution No. 36/24-C on the World Federation of Arab-Islamic

International Schools ……………………………………..321

Resolution No. 37/24-C on Dawah activities and the reactivation

of the Committee on Coordination of Islamic Action ……………323

pp. 261-324 are offset pages

Annex VI

          REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

          ADOPTED BY THE TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE

OF FOREIGN MINISTERS (SESSION OF FRATERNITY AND COOPERATION)

CONTENTS

Subject             Page

Report of the Administrative and Financial Affairs Committee …..326

Resolution No. 1/24-AF on the report of the Twenty-fifth session

of the Permanent Finance Committee ………………………….330

Resolution No. 2/24-AF on the budgets of the General Secretariat

and the subsidiary organs for the financial year 1996/97 ………331

Resolution No. 3/24-AF on the financial situation of the

Organization of the Islamic Conference and the problem of

accumulation of arrears of mandatory contributions of member

States …………………………………………………..333

pp. 326-334 are offset pages

p. 10

POLITICAL AFFAIRS:

Question of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif

33. The Conference reaffirmed that the Palestine cause is the prime cause of all Muslims, and expressed its solidarity with the Palestine Liberation Organization in its just struggle for removing the effects of Israeli occupation and building the Palestinian national institutions on the land of Palestine, with a view to realizing the imprescriptible and inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to return, to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent State on their national soil, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

34. The Conference called on Member States to further strengthen their solidarity with the Palestinian people, and to continue supporting the PLO, and its National Authority, positions in its negotiations for the full withdrawal of the Israeli forces from all the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and to consolidate its national authority in all the Palestinian territories.

35. The Conference reaffirmed its support for the Middle East peace process and the implementation of all the agreements signed in this context among the parties concerned and the commitments made in accordance with the underpinnings of the process launched in Madrid, in accordance with the UN resolutions, in particular Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 425 and the land-for-peace formula which demand Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif, the occupied Syrian Golan, the occupied Lebanese territory, and the realization of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people.

36. The Conference further reaffirmed that Al-Quds Al-Sharif forms an integral part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967 and whatever is applicable to other occupied territories also applied to it. It urged action to halt all measures, practices and decisions adopted by the Israeli occupation authorities in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, aimed at altering the city’s geographic and demographic set-up and violating Islamic and Christian Holy Places therein with a view to Judaizing the Holy City; and called for combining efforts to restore Al-Quds Al-Sharif to Palestinian sovereignty as the capital of the State of Palestine, so as to ensure peace and security in the region.

37. The Conference invited all States of the world to refrain from having any dealings with the Israeli occupation authorities which might in any way be interpreted by those authorities, as an implicit recognition of the “fait accompli”‘ they have imposed by the declaration of Al-Quds as the capital of Israel and affirmed that all the legislative, administrative and settlement measures aiming at changing the legal status of the Holy City are null and void, have no legal effects whatsoever and are a violation of international agreements, conventions and norms.

38. The Conference also strongly condemned Israel’s persistence in the excavation works around Al-Haram Al-Quds Al-Sharif especially the opening of a tunnel in Al-Quds Al-Sharif. It appealed to the international community and especially the Security Council Member States and the two cosponsors of the Peace Conference to take the necessary and immediate measures to compel Israel to close down this tunnel and to stop such aggressive practices, underlining the need to preserve the Arab and Islamic Character of the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the status quo of the city pursuant the agreements concluded between the Palestinian and Israeli parties.

39. The Conference further invited the international community, and in particular the two co-sponsors of the Peace Conference, to compel Israel not to effect any geographical or demographical alteration in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif during the transitional period and to refrain from any action or measure which might affect the outcome of the negotiations on the final status of the City, adhere to the relevant international resolutions, lift the siege imposed on Al-Quds Al-Sharif, ensure the freedom of worship therein, and refrain from destroying houses, withdrawing identity cards of Palestinian citizens and emptying Al-Quds Al-Sharif of its Arab citizens. It strongly condemned Israel for the orders it has issued for closing the Palestinian institutions in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and preventing them from operating freely.

40. The Conference invited the international community, in particular the two Sponsors of the Peace Conference and the States of the European Union to compel Israel to cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the occupied Syrian Golan. It requested the Security Council to set up an International Monitoring Committee to prevent the establishment of settlements in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories.

41. The Conference invited the international community, especially the two co-sponsors of the Peace Conference and the States of the European Union to compel Israel to implement the agreements on the withdrawal of its troops from Al Khalil city and the other occupied Palestinian territories, close down the tunnel it had opened in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, enter in serious negotiations on the final status of the Palestinian territories provided for in the agreements concluded between the Palestinian and Israeli parties, resume negotiations on the Lebanese and Syrian tracks on the bases of the reference agreed upon at the Madrid Conference and from the point at which these negotiations stopped, and to endeavour to achieve just and comprehensive peace which would restore rights to whom they belong and which would ensure security, stability and prosperity for all peoples of the region.

42. The Conference asserted that Israel’s failure to honour the principles and basis of the peace process, its going back on the commitments, undertakings or agreements reached within the framework of this process or its procrastination in their implementation or repudiating them would lead to the relapse of the peace process, and holds the Israeli government responsible for that. It recommended that, in the event of a breakdown of the peace process, normalization of relations with Israel should be reconsidered and that consultations should be held on this question at the appropriate time in order to adopt the necessary measures.

43. The Conference called on the international community and the Security Council to compel Israel to comply with U.N. Resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 487(1981), to accede to the treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to implement the resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calling for the subjection of all Israeli Atomic facilities to the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards System, to obtain Israel’s renunciation of nuclear armament, and to submit a full report on its stockpile of nuclear weapons and ammunition to the Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency as those steps are essential for the establishment of a zone free from weapons of mass destruction, and primarily nuclear weapons in the Middle East region, a fundamental factor for the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

44. The Conference called upon Member States to honour their commitment to cover the approved budgets for Al-Quds Fund and its Waqf and urged Member States to take steps towards paying their contributions and appealed to those which have not pledged donations to Al-Quds Fund and its Waqf to do so.

45. The Conference lauded the steadfastness of the Syrian Arab citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan against the Israeli occupation End strongly condemned Israel for its non-compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 497 (1981) and reaffirmed that Israel’s decision to impose its laws; jurisdiction and administration on the Occupied Syrian Golan is illegal, null and void and has no legal validity whatsoever. It decided that the Knesset decision of 11 November 1981 sanctioning the annexation of the occupied Syrian Golan is null and void, has no legal effect, and constitutes a flagrant violation of Security Council resolution 497 (1981). It strongly condemned Israel for its persistence in changing the legal status and demographic composition of the Occupied Syrian Golan. The Conference reaffirmed that the continued occupation by Israel of the Syrian Golan constitute a constant threat to peace and security in the region. It demanded Israel to fully withdraw from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the lines of the Fourth of June 1967.

46. The Conference strongly condemned Israel for its continued occupation of parts of Southern Lebanon and the Lebanese Western Bikaa, and demands the international community to endeavours to implement Security Council Resolution No. 425 (1978) which provides for Israel’s immediate and unconditional withdrawal from all the occupied Lebanese territories to the international boundaries. It demanded the international community to take all necessary measures with Israel so that the latter may immediately release all Lebanese prisoners and kidnapped individuals. The Conference condemned Israel for its continued aggression against Lebanese territories indicating its non-compliance with the letter and spirit of April understanding. It demanded to exert pressure on Israel to pay reparations to Lebanon for the damages resulting from its continued aggression against Lebanese territories and to endeavour to halt the arbitrary and inhuman Israeli practices against the defenseless populations in the occupied Lebanese territories. The Conference asserted its support and backing for the efforts exerted by the Lebanese government to impose its control and sovereignty over the totality of its territories including the parts occupied by Israel in Southern Lebanon I and western Bekaa.

p. 41

Annex 2

DECLARATION

ON THE

CURRENT SITUATION OF THE MIDDLE EAST

PEACE PROCESS

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Islamic States meeting in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia in the framework of the 24th ICFM from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaaban 1417H (9-13 December 1996), examined the policies of the Israeli government which are hostile to peace and strongly condemned these policies which are aimed at undermining the peace process, eliminating its very principles and terms of reference and reneging the commitments, agreements and obligations concluded during the past five years of peace negotiations.

The Ministers also expressed their strong denunciation and anger at the threats made by the Israeli officials and which are aimed at taking the region back to a state of war and imposing a “fait accompli. on the Arabs and the Muslims. They drew the attention of the co-sponsors of the peace process and that of the international community to the great dangers involved should the Israeli government continue to take positions and adopt policies which are hostile to peace.

The Ministers commended the strategic option of peace which was asserted by the Arab leaders in the Summit meeting held in Cairo in June 1996, and affirmed their countries’ adherence to the principles and terms of reference of the peace process. They also called upon Israel to honour its obligations and commitments under this process and to resume the negotiations at the point where those negotiations had stopped. They asserted their firm support to the just Arab positions and demands calling for Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Arab and Palestinian lands, including Al-Quds, the Golan, Southern Lebanon and the Western Bekaa and the guarantee of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people including the right to return, to self-determination and to the establishment of their independent State on their homeland.

p. 50

A. Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict

RESOLUTION NO.1/24-P

ON THE

QUESTION OF PALESTINE AND THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation), held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaban, 1417H (9-13 December, 1996),

Having considered the Report of the Secretary General on the Cause of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict contained in Document No. (ICFM/24-96/PAL/D.1);

Proceeding from the principles and objectives of the Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conference;

Pursuant to the resolutions of the Islamic Conferences on the Cause of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict;

Recalling the resolutions issued by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of African Unity and the League of Arab States on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the other occupied Arab territories;

Reaffirming the UN Security Council Resolution No.1073 of 28 September, 1996 on the serious deterioration of the conditions in Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the occupied Palestinian territories;

Recalling resolutions 465, 476 and 478 of the Security Council on the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Islamic resolutions emphasizing that the Question of Al-Quds Al-Sharif constitutes the heart of the Palestine issue which is the prime cause of all Muslims and the core of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, and that a just and comprehensive peace will only be achieved with the return of the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif to Palestinian sovereignty as capital of the State of Palestine;

Reaffirming the need for all States of the world, including their executive, legislative and other institutions, to abide by and respect the resolutions of the Security Council on the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif;

Reaffirming also that the Palestine Cause is the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and that Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories, its annexation of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Syrian Golan, its continued denial of-the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people and its disrespect for the human rights of the Palestinians constitute a flagrant violation of the relevant resolutions of the international legitimacy and the principles of international law as well as the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights;

Proceeding from Islamic and international resolutions which reaffirm the legitimacy of the struggle waged by the Palestinian people under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, their sole legitimate representative, for the re-establishment of their sovereignty over their land, and the exercise of their inalienable national rights;

Expressing its strong condemnation of Israel’s continuing repressive and terrorist measures and practices, its continued policy of colonization, expansion of existing settlements, confiscation of land and properties, deportation and mass reprisal against Palestinian and Arab citizens in all occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, its siege of the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the desecration of holy Shrines;

Condemning the continuous Israeli aggression against Lebanese territories and Lebanese citizens, emphasizing that the Israeli policies, practices and expansionist plots, do not only threaten the Arab states and the peace process but also threaten the Islamic States and endanger international peace and security;

Following with interest the continued peace efforts being exerted for the achievement of a just and comprehensive solution for the Question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of UN Security Council Resolutions Nos. 242 and 338 and 425 and of the formula of “land for peace”, and the legitimate national and political rights of the Palestinian people;

Commending the efforts made by the Palestine Liberation Organisation throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, for the reconstruction of what had been destroyed by the Israeli occupation, as well as the efforts exerted by its National Authority for the rehabilitation of the Palestinian national economy and its consolidation, on the way to the establishment of the Palestinian State and the importance of supporting these efforts by all possible ways and means;

1. Reaffirms all the resolutions of the Islamic Conferences relating to the question of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif Cause and the Arab-Israeli Conflict.

2. Reaffirms also that the Palestine cause is the prime cause of all Muslims, and expresses its solidarity with the Palestine Liberation Organisation in its just struggle for removing the effects of Israeli occupation and building the Palestinian national institutions on the land of Palestine, with a view to realizing the imprescriptible and inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to return, to self-determaination and to the establishment of their independent State on their national soil, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. .

3. Calls on Member States to further strengthen their solidarity with the Palestinian people, and support their just and legitimate struggle for ending Israeli occupation and achieving all their goals of freedom and independence and to continue supporting the PLO, and its National Authority, positions in its negotiations for the full withdrawal of the Israeli forces from all the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and to consolidate its authorities in all the Palestinian territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif as they all represent a single geographic unit, and for the guarantee of the transfer of all powers and responsibilities in the occupied Palestinian territories including the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, to the Palestinian National Authority.

4. Reaffirms its support for the Middle East Peace Process and the implementation of all the agreements signed in this context among the parties concerned and the commitments made in accordance with the underpinnings of the process launched in Madrid, in accordance with the UN resolutions, in particular Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 425 and the land-for-peace formula which demand Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif, the occupied Syrian Golan, the occupied Lebanese territory, and the realization of the inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people.

5. Reaffirms that Al-Quds Al-Sharif forms an integral part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967 and whatever is applicable to other occupied Palestinian territories also applied to it, in implementation of the resolutions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly; it urged action to halt all measures, practices and decisions adopted by the Israeli occupation authorities in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, aimed at altering the city’s geographic and demographic set-up and violating Islamic and Christian Holy Places therein with a view to Judaizing the Holy City; and calls for combining efforts to restore Al-Quds Al-Sharif to Palestinian sovereignty as the capital of. the State of Palestine, so as to ensure peace and security in the region.

6. Invites the international community, in particular the two Sponsors of the Peace Conference and the States of the European Union to compel Israel to cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the occupied Syrian Golan, and to adopt firm positions towards these practices which contravene international resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 465 and the principles of International Law which consider all settlements established or to be established by Israel in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, all the occupied Palestinian territories, and the Syrian Golan as null and void. It requests the Security Council to set up an International Monitoring Committee to prevent the establishment of settlements in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories.

7. Calls for action within UN and international institutions and fore to compel to release the detainees; return the deportees; halt the methods of mass punishment; cease the confiscation of lands and properties and the demolition of homes; also cease any action that threaten life and the environment in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif. To call for a more effective UN action to ensure the success of the Middle East peace process, for a reaffirmation of the continued UN responsibility for the cause of Palestine until a just and comprehensive solution to all its aspects is found, a solution that puts an end to occupation and fulfills the imprescriptible and inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people.

8. Invites the international community, especially the cosponsor States of the Peace Conference and the States of the European Union to compel Israel to implement the agreements on the withdrawal of its troops from Al Khalil city and the other occupied Palestinian territories; close down the tunnel it had opened in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, enter in serious negotiations on the final status of the Palestinian territories provided for in the agreements concluded between the Palestinian and Israeli parties, resume negotiations on the Lebanese and Syrian tracks on the bases of the reference agreed upon at the Madrid Conference, and to endeavour to achieve just and comprehensive peace which would restore rights to whom they belong and which would ensure security, stability and prosperity for all peoples of the region.

9. Supports the resolutions stipulated in the statement adopted by the Arab Summit Conference, held in Cairo in July 1996, on the developments which resulted from policies of the present Israeli government and its deliberate impeding of the Peace Process.

10. Asserts that Israel’s failure to honour the principles and basis of the peace process, its going back on the commitments, undertakings or agreements reached within the framework of this process or its procrastination in their implementation or repudiating them would lead to the relapse of the peace process, and holds the Israeli government responsible for that.

11. Strongly condemns the Israeli aggressive practices and measures especially the opening of a tunnel in Al-Quds Al-Sharif which endanger the Islamic and Christian holy shrines especially the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

12. Recommends that, in the event of a breakdown of the peace process, normalization of relations with Israel should be reconsidered an`-. that consultations should be held on this question at the appropriate time in order to adopt the necessary measures.

13. Urges all States and concerned parties to extend their support to the international programme on economic, social and cultural developments in the occupied Palestinian territories to avail the Palestinian people of the necessary approved assistance for the reconstruction of its national economy and to back up its national institutions and enable it to establish its independent State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

14. Invites all States of the world to refrain from having any dealings with the Israeli occupation authorities which might in any way be interpreted by those authorities, as an implicit recognition of the “fait accompli” they have imposed by the declaration of Al-Quds as the capital of Israel. In this context, it should be proper to recall the UN Security Council Resolutions No. 465,476 and 478 which rule that the Israeli measures relating to the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif are null and void and affirm that all the legislative, administrative and settlement measures aiming at changing the legal status of the Holy City are null and void, have no legal effects whatsoever and are a violation of international agreements, conventions and norms.

15. Calls for abiding by the provisions of the Islamic Boycott against Israel and to consider the legislation, rules and provisions governing the Boycott “the General Principles of the Boycott, Islamic law, the Internal Regulations and Sessional Meetings of the Regional Offices” as part of the current national legislations, and set up the necessary offices and mechanisms to serve that end.

16. Strongly condemns Israel’s continuing occupation of Southern Lebanon and the Western Biqa’h region, its arbitrary practices and military acts of aggression against the Lebanese citizens and against the Palestinian refugees in their camps in Lebanon, calls upon the UN Security Council to take the necessary measures to put an immediate end to these acts of aggression and demands Israel’s immediate, total and unconditional withdrawal from the Lebanese territory. It affirms its resolve to maintain the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon within its internationally recognized borders. Moreover, it stresses the necessity of implementing the UN Security Council resolutions concerning Lebanon and in particular Resolution No.425 (1978).

17. Strongly condemns the policy of Israel in refusing to comply with Security Council resolution 497 (1981), and in imposing its jurisdiction, its laws and its administration on the occupied Syrian Golan, as well as Israel’s policies of annexation, establishment of settlements, expropriation of lands, diversion of water resources and imposition of Israeli nationality on Syrian citizens. It considers that all those measures are null and void, and constitute a violation of the rules and principles of international law, relating to occupation and war and particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. It demands the complete withdrawal of Israel from the entire occupied Syrian Golan to the lines of 4 June 1967.

18. Calls on the international community and the Security Council to compel Israel to comply with U.N. Resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 487(1981), to accede to the treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to implement the resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calling for the subjection of all Israeli Atomic facilities to the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards System, to obtain Israel’s renunciation of nuclear armament, and to submit a full report on its stockpile of nuclear weapons and ammunition to the Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency as those steps are essential for the establishment of a zone free from weapons of mass destruction, and primarily nuclear weapons in the Middle East region, a fundamental factor for the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

19. Commends the efforts exerted by Al-Quds Committee, under the Chairmanship of His Majesty King Hassan II of Morocco.

20. Reaffirms the continued responsibility of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to carry on fulfilling the tasks assigned to it for the benefit of all the Palestinian citizens wherever they may be living in accordance with the resolution of the UN General Assembly in this regard, and calls upon the Member States to request the UN Secretary General to see to it that the Conciliation Committee undertakes in collaboration with the Relief Agency and the concerned states the preparation of a comprehensive inventory of Palestinian refugees and their property and come out with a integrated conception for the settlement of their problems on the basis of their right to return to their homeland Palestine in accordance with the UN Resolution No. 194.

21. Requests the Secretary General to take necessary measures for continuing and strengthening contacts and coordination on the Question of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict between the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the League of Arab States, the Organization of African Unity, the Non-Aligned Movement, the European Union, and the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies and expresses its appreciation for their all supportive stands and assistance for the just struggle of the Palestinian people.

22. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of this resolution and to submit a report thereon to the next Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

P. 57

RESOLUTION NO. 2/24 – P

ON THE CITY OF AL-DUDS AL-SHARIF

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of the Fraternity and Cooperation), held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaban, 1417H (9-13 December, 1996),

Having considered the Report of the Secretary General on the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, contained in Document No . ( ICFM/24-96/PAL/D.2);

Proceeding from the principles and objectives of the Charter of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference;

Pursuant to the Islamic resolutions which reaffirm that the issue of Al-Quds Al-Sharif forms the core of the Palestinian issue which is the foremost Islamic cause, and core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and that no comprehensive and just peace can be achieved without the return of Al-Quds Al-Sharif to the Palestinian sovereignty, as the capital of the State of Palestine;

Recalling the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and Security Council, in particular resolutions 465, 476 and 478 on the city of Al-Quds which consider as null and void the Israeli Law annexing Al-Quds and claiming it as the unified capital of Israel;

Reaffirming Security Council Resolution No. 1073 dated 28 September, 1996 on the serious deterioration of the conditions in the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Occupied Palestinian territories due to the opening of the tunnel;

Expressing its deep concern at the escalation of Israel’s acts of aggression on the Holy Places in the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the violation of its sanctity, and also over the deteriorating situation of the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and all Islamic and Christian Holy Places, in particular the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock as a result of the increasing measures judaization and settlement in and around it, aimed at obliterating its Arab and Islamic landmarks;

Expressing its full solidarity with the just struggle of the Palestinian people under the leadership of the PLO, so as to enable its National Authority to face up to the forthcoming stage and firmly establish its National Authority and finalize establishing its institutions in all the occupied Palestinian territories, including the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif;

Reiterating Security Council’s Resolution No. 681 which provides for the applicability of all the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 concerning the protection of civilians in times of war to the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif;

Following attentively the continued peace efforts for the achievement of a just and comprehensive settlement to the issue of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, the legitimate national and political rights of the Palestinian people, and the formula of land for peace;

Commending the constant efforts made by the Al-Quds Committee under the Chairmanship of His Majesty King Hassan II, King of Morocco;

1. Reaffirms all the resolutions issued by the relevant Islamic Conferences including those adopted by the Third Islamic Summit Conference on Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the recommendations of Al-Quds Committe at its former sessions.

2. Reaffirms that a jus and comprehensive peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a full Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian and Arab territories foremost of which Al-Quds Al-Sharif as it represents an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 and that whatever is applicable to the rest of the occupied territories applies to it in implementation of UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and urges action to halt all practices, and measures and decisions adopted by the authorities of Israeli occupation in Al-Quds Al-Sharif aimed at altering the geographic and demographic conditions and violating the sanctity of the Islamic and Christian shrines in order to judaize the Holy City. It calls for combined efforts to restore Al-Quds Al-Sharif to the Palestinian sovereignty as the capital of the State of Palestine in order to ensure peace and security in the region.

3. Invites the Member States to continue extending their support to the Palestine Liberation Organisation and to extend all forms of assistance to the Palestinian people for the transfer of all authorities and responsibilities in the occupied Palestinian territories including the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, to the Palestinian National Authority and to support the steadfastness of the citizens of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, to establish developmental economic, cultural, social and architectural projects, to construct housing units, to restore their existing houses and to support the national Palestinian institutions in Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

4. Invites all States to refrain from having any dealings with the Israeli occupation authorities which might be interpreted in any way by those authorities as an implicit recognition of the “fait accompli” imposed by the proclamation of Al-Quds as the capital of Israel. It reaffirms that all legislative, administrative and settlements’ procedures and measures aiming at altering the legal status of the Holy City are null and void and constitute a violation of international agreements, conventions and norms, as proclaimed by international legitimacy resolutions which include the UN Security Council resolutions No. 465, 476 and 478 (1980) as well as those of the UN General Assembly, all of which invalidate the Israeli procedures in question.

5. Further invites the international community, and in particular the two co-sponsors of the Peace Conference, to compel Israel not to effect any geographical or demographical alteration in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif during the transitional period and to refrain from any action or measure which might affect the outcome of the negotiations on the final status of the City, adhere to the relevant international resolutions, lift the siege imposed on Al-Quds Al-Sharif, ensure the freedom of worship therein, and refrain from destroying houses, withdrawing identity cards of Palestinian citizens and emptying Al-Quds Al-Sharif of its Arab citizens.

6. Condemns Israel’s persistence in the confiscation of Palestinian land in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and the establishment of settlements there with the purpose of cutting if off from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories and reaffirms the necessity of halting the expansion of the settlements existing in the Holy City and around it, dismantling the settlements and halting Jewish settlements in the occupied territories especially the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, with international guarantees provided to that effect.

7. Strongly condemns Israel’s persistence in the excavation works around Al-Haram Al-Quds Al-Sharif especially the opening of a tunnel in Al-Quds Al-Sharif which endanger the Islamic and Christian holy shrines especially the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, it appeals to the international community and especially the Security Council Member States and the two cosponsors of the Peace Conference to take the necessary and immediate measures to compel Israel to close down this tunnel in accordance with resolution 1073 of the Security Council and to stop such aggressive practices, it underlines the need to preserve the Arab and Islamic Character of the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the status quo of the city pursuant the agreements concluded between the Palestinian and Israeli parties.

8. Strongly condemns the Israeli Supreme Court’s decisions, particularly the decision adopted on 25.7.1996 allowing Jews to pray in the precinct of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and the decision issued on 23 September 1993, claiming the Blessed Mosque of Al-Aqsa as part of the territory of the State of Israel, and considers it as premediated provocations aimed at opening the way for the Zionist extremist organizations to continue their violations against the sanctity of the Blessed Mosque of Al-Aqsa, to establish their presence in its precincts, and to continue looting the religious, historical and cultural relics in Al-Quds and the Occupied Territories.

9. Strongly condemns Israel for the orders it has issued for closing the Palestinian institutions in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and preventing them from operating freely, and considers such arbitrary measures as a continued violation of the agreements concluded between the Palestinian and Israeli parties within the framework of the peace process, as well as a blatant violation of international conventions and agreements, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and a breach of the principles and bases on which the Madrid Peace Process was established.

10. Strongly condemns the Israeli occupation authorities for holding festivities in commemoration of the so-called “Third Millennium of the construction of Al-Quds City” which represents a misleading campaign aimed at distorting historical facts concerning the holy city, which confirm its arabity over the past five thousand years, and invites the States of the world to boycott these festivities.

11. Calls upon all States to adhere to Security Council Resolution No. 478 (1980) which invites the member States to uphold the provisions of the said resolution and refrain from transferring their diplomatic missions to the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif. Takes note with appreciation of the general response of the states of the world to this resolution and their abidance by it.

12. Affirms the commitment of Member States to pursue and coordinate their action with regional and international organizations for the implementation of the international resolutions adopted by United Nations and its specialized agencies, in particular UNESCO, to stop the hostile measures and aggressive practices and the excavation work in the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and to safeguard its cultural and historical heritage.

13. Invites the Vatican, Eastern Churches and other Churches to take part in the resistance against the Judaization of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and to extend support to its Arab citizens to resist the judaization measures and the attempt made to uproot them from their City.

14. Reaffirms the resolutions of earlier Islamic Conferences which call for the extension of support to the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the consolidation of the steadfastness of its citizens, through the implementation of the following activities:

15. Expresses the hope that the decisions of the recent meeting of the Al-Quds Committee will be put into effect.

16. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of this resolution and to submit a report thereon to the next Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

p. 115

RESOLUTION NO.22/24-P

ON THE

ESTABLISHMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPON

FREE ZONES IN AFRICA. THE MIDDLE EAST. SOUTH ASIA

AND SOUTH EAST ASIA

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation), held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaaban, 1417H (9-13 December, 1996),

Recalling that the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones in various regions of the world is one of the measures which can most effectively guarantee the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, as well as contribute to the achievement of general and complete disarmament;

Convinced that the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones in various regions will serve to protect the States of such regions against the threat or use of Nuclear Weapons;

Recalling that the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly recommended the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia;

Also recalling all the resolutions adopted by various Islamic Conferences of Foreign Ministers, including Resolution 21/23-P issued by the Twenty-third Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, on the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia;

Recalling as well, all relevant resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its last Session on this subject;

Bearing in mind all the resolutions and recommendations adopted by the Organization of African Unity in this respect, and recalling in particular the Declaration on Denuclearization of Africa adopted by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its First Ordinary Session held in Cairo from 17 to 21 July 1964 on the necessity for establishing a nuclear weapon free zone in Africa;

Noting the statements made at the highest level by Governments of South Asian States pledging themselves not to acquire or manufacture nuclear weapons and to devote their nuclear programmes exclusively to the economic and social development of their peoples.

Welcoming the proposal for the conclusion of a bilateral or regional nuclear test ban agreement in South Asia as well as the proposal to convene under the UN auspices of a Conference on nuclear non-proliferation in South Asia and welcoming also the proposal to hold five nation consultations with a view to ensuring nuclear non-proliferation in the region of South Asia;

1. Notes the Report of the Secretary General on the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia (Document ICFM/24-96/PIL/D.13).

2. Welcomes the convention on the establishment of a nuclear weapon free zone in Africa which was signed in Cairo on 11 April, 1996.

3. Also welcomes the signing of a convention in Bangkok in December 1995 by the Heads of State and Government of the ten South East Asian countries for the establishment of a South East Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone.

4. Calls upon all States, particularly the States of the regions concerned, which have not yet done, to positively respond to proposals for the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones in the Middle East and South Asia.

5. Reaffirms the determination of Member States to take measures to prevent nuclear proliferation on a non-discriminatory and universal basis.

6. Urges all States especially nuclear weapon States to exert pressure on Israel to become party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and calls on the international community and the Security Council to compel Israel to comply with U.N. Resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 487 (1981), to accede to the treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to implement the resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calling for the subjection of all Israeli Atomic facilities to the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards System, to obtain Israel’s renunciation of nuclear armament, and to submit a full report on its stockpile of nuclear weapons and ammunition to the Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency as those steps are essential for the establishment of a zone free from weapons of mass destruction, and primarily nuclear weapons in the Middle East region, a fundamental factor for the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

7. Welcomes the various proposals made by Pakistan to keep the South Asian region free of nuclear weapons including the proposed five-nation consultations to ensure nuclear non-proliferation in the region.

8. Requests all member States to keep up and further coordinate their cooperation at the United Nations and other relevant international fore to promote the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones in the Middle East and South Asia.

9. Requests the Secretary General to follow developments in this regard and report thereon to the next Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

p. 202

RESOLUTION NO. 7/24-E

ON

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IN THE OCCUPIED

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES,

OF THE SYRIAN CITIZENS IN THE OCCUPIED SYRIAN GOLAN.

OF THE LEBANESE CITIZEN IN OCCUPIED SOUTHERN LEBANON.

AND THE WESTERN BEKKA AND OF THE ARAB

PEOPLE IN OTHER OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES.

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation) held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, from 28 Rajab to 03 Shabaan 1417H (9-13 December 1996);

Recalling Resolution 7/23-E adopted by the Twenty-third Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers;

Belivinq in the objectives and principles of the OIC Charter aimed at strengthening Islamic solidarity among the Member States, and conforming with mass international will that rejects arbitrary Israeli practices in the occupied Arab territory which lead to deterioration of the economic and social conditions of Arab citizens under the yoke of Israeli occupation, on the one hand, and that supports the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East region based on the (Land-for-Peace principle) resolutions of the international legitimacy 242, 338 and 425 as well as the authority of the Madrid Peace Conference, on the other;

Underlining the unfailing efforts exerted by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to promote the economic structure; and in view of the escalation of the illelgal and unlawful expanionist settlement policies of the new Israeli government, in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the occupied Syrian Golan; and also in view of the serious implications of this escalation on the already difficult economic and humanitarian conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory and the Syrian citizens in the occupied Golan;

Expressing extreme concern over the grave economic impacts, resulting from the adoption by the new Israeli government of an expanionist settlement policy, on the difficult living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory and those of the Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan as well as the Arab people in the occupied Arab territory;

Appreciating with profound interest the role which the Palestine Liberation Organization and its National Authority (PNA) are playing in all territories under the PNA including the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif for the improvement of the Palestinian people’s living conditions and the overhauling of their national economy;

Inviting attention to the danger of Israel’s continued occupation of the Syrian Golan, South Lebanon and the Western Bekka region which are daily exposed to huge human, economic and material losses;

Emphasizing the resolutions of the recent Arab Summit in Cairo concerning this matter;

Having considered the recommendations of the Twentieth Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs;

Having taken note of the report of the Secretary General on the subject;

Hails the efforts made by the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Palestinian National Authority to rebuild Palestinian facilities, infrastructure and properties already destroyed and those being destroyed by the Israeli occupation authorities. It commends the strenuous efforts exerted by the Palestinian Authority to rebuild and strengthen Palestinian National economy.

2. Invites all concerned bodies to expedite the extension of the envisaged necessary assistance to help the Palestinian people to establish their national economy, to act for the consolidation of their national institutions and to enable them to establish their independent State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

3. Reaffirms the earlier OIC resolutions in favour of the extension of all forms of economic, technical, material and moral support and assistance to the Palestinian people, while acting for preferential treatment to be given to Palestinian export products and granting them exemptions from taxes and tariffs.

4. Calls for the necessity of implementing the resolutions of the UN General Assembly on the economic assistance extended to the Palestinian people as well as resolutions of other international organizations and relevant specialized agencies. It also calls for uniting efforts during the Fifty-first Session of the UN General Assembly also as to pay special attention to the economic problems of the Palestinian people.

5. Urges the business people and investors of the OIC Member States to undertake the execution of the economic, industrial, agricultural and housing programmes in the territories of the Palestinian National Authority with a view to supporting and strengthening the Palestinian national economy.

6. Condemns Israel’s continuing occupation of the Palestinian territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the escalation of its arbitrary practices against the Palestinian people in all of the occupied towns and villages, and building an expanionist infrastructure by establishing more settlements and calls for halting these practices and putting an end to them.

7. Further _ Condemns the continuing occupation by Israel of Syrian Golan, South Lebanon and the Western Bekka Valley, as well as the arbitrary Israeli practices which have resulted in the deterioration of the economic and social conditions of the Syrian and Lebanese people who are under occupation.

8. Expresses extreme concern about the serious economic implications resulting from the adoption of an expansionist settlement policy by the new Israeli government on the already difficult living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian territories as well as those of the Syrian citizens in the Occupied Syrian Golan and the Arab people in the other Occupied Arab territories.

9. Urges the OIC Member States to carry all necessary action at the international level to pressure Israel into lifting the brutal Israeli blaockade imposed on the occupied Palestinian territory, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif. This blockade has resulted into extremely painful economic effects on the Palestinian people and raised the level of employment among the Palestinians. It also hampered international efforts aimed at realizing development in the occupied Palestinian territory and the territory of the Palestinian Naitonal Authority.

10. Calls on the Member States and the international organizations also to extend every necessary assistance to the Lebanese population in South Lebanon and Western Bekka which are daily and permanently exposed to Israeli aggression causing material losses and resulting in social hardship which paralyse almost permanently, the economic activities of the region.

11. Calls also on the Member States to coordinate as regards the resolutions on the subject.

12. Requests the Secretary General to follow this question and submit appropriate report thereon to the next Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

p. 224

RESOLUTION NO. 22/24-E

ON

ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO THE STATE OF PALESTINE

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation) held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, from 28 Rajab to 03 Shabaan 1417H (9-13 December 1996);

Recalling Resolution of the Seventh Islamic Summit Conference as well as resolutions of the 22nd and 23rd Sessions of the Islamic Conferences of Foreign Ministers,

Noting with great interest the role played by the Palestine National Authority in the Palestinian Self-rule regions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with a view to improving the living conditions of the Palestinian people and building up the national economy;

Having taken note also of the recommendations of the Twentieth Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs;

Having taken note of the report of the Secretary General on the subject;

1. Expresses deep appreciation for the assistance extended by some Member States and OIC relevant bodies.

2. Commends the efforts made by the Palestine National Authority in the Palestinian Self-Rule regions in order to reconstruct what occupation had destroyed, as well as the efforts exerted to build up and consolidate the Palestinian national economy.

3. Expresses great appreciation for the assistance provided by some Member States to the Palestinian people in order to build up the national economy in the Palestinian Self-Rule regions in the West Bank and the Gaza-Strip.

4. Urges the speedy granting of the required and approved assistance by the concerned Member States and OIC bodies, with a view to helping the Palestine National Authority and the Palestinian people in the building up of the national economy and the consolidation of their national institutions.

5. Reaffirms the previous resolutions advocating the provision of all forms of support and assistance as well as economic, technical, material and moral assistance in support of the Palestinian people and the Palestine National Authority and Urges that preferential treatment be accorded to Palestinian products as regards importation and exemption of taxes and customs duties.

6. Urges businessmen and investors of Member States to contribute to the implementation of economic, industrial, agricultural and housing projects in the Palestinian Self-Rule regions, with a view to building up the national economy and enabling the Palestine National Authority and its national institutions to implement their development programmes, during the coming transitional period, in the various economic, social and health fields.

7. Appeals to Member States, in view of the obstacles raised by Israel in the face of the Palestinian labour force, to provide work opportunities to this Palestinian labour force, with a view to enhancing the socio-economic status of the Palestinian people and putting an end to unemployment.

8. Urges the Member States to conclude bilateral agreements with the Palestine Liberation Organization and its National Authority in the economic, commercial and social field, with a view to enhancing the socio-economic status of the Palestinian people on their national soil.

9. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the efforts aiming at implemening the previous resolutions on the support to the State of Palestine and submit a report thereon to the next Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

p. 296

RESOLUTION NO.24/24-C

ON THE

TWINNING OF PALESTINIAN UNIVERSITIES

IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE OIC MEMBER STATES

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation) held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaban 1417H (9-13 December, 1996),

Recalling the various previous Resolutions of the Islamic Conferences and the recommendations of the 20th Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs, on the Twinning of Palestinian universities in the Occupied Territories with Member States’ universities;

1. Calls on Member States to implement operative paragraph (1) of Resolution 5/19-C on twinning of Palestinian universities with the universities of Member States, adopted by the Nineteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

2. Approves the recommendations of the 20th Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs which call for the necessity of strengthening Islamic solidarity with the people and students of Palestine through establishing twinning relations between universities in Member States and Palestinian universities in the Occupied Territories to enable the latter to overcome their difficulties, confront the Israeli designs aimed at impeding their functioning, fulfil their educational mission in the best manner and contribute to the reinforcement of the Palestinian national authority.

3. Recommends to extend every kind of financial and academic support and assistance to the universities in the occupied territories so that they may be able to play their national and educational role, and supports in particular the Open University of Al-Quds in view of its great importance in supporting the steadfastness of its people and the preservation of the Arab and Islamic heritage of the Al-Quds.

4. Calls upon the Member States to see to it that their universities receive training and academic delegations from the Universities of the occupied Palestinian territories to work in their Universities.

5. Calls upon the Member States to contribute towards training the Palestinian youth in their Universities and exchanging educational delegations in various academic fields, so as to assist the Palestinian Universities in performing their tasks during the overall reconstruction of the Palestinian National Authority and elleviate the material and academic difficulties which may emerge.

6. Requests the Secretary General to follow-up the implementation of this resolution and submit a report thereon to the next Session of the ICFM.

p. 298

RESOLUTION NO.25/24-C

ON THE

TEACHING OF THE SUBJECT OF THE HISTORY AND

GEOGRAPHY

OF PALESTINE

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation) held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaban 1417H (9-13 December, 1996),

Recalling the previous resolutions adopted by the Islamic Conferences, and the recommendations of the 20th Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs on the teaching of the history and geography of Palestine;

1. Commends the efforts made by the Commission Entrusted with the Elaboration of Curricula for the Teaching of the History and Geography of Palestine and calls on the General Secretariat and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) to expeditiously print and communicate the curricula to the Member States in implementation of the relevant Islamic Resolutions.

2. Calls upon all educational organs and institutions in the Member States to contribute effectively to the teaching of the approved subject of the History and Geography of Palestine for the three levels of education so as to educate the young generations of the Islamic Ummah about the Palestinian territories and the rights of their Arab and Muslim people, and safeguard the Islamic and historic heritage of Palestine and particularly in Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

3. Appeals to the Member States and the IDB to contribute to financing the costs of printing the approved curricula in the three OIC languages as well as in the national languages of non-Arabic-speaking States.

4. Requests the Secretary General to follow-up the implementation of this resolution and submit a report thereon to the next session of the ICFM.

p. 299

RESOLUTION NO.26/24-C

ON THE

EDUCATIONAL SITUATION IN THE OCCUPIED

PALESTINIAN

TERRITORIES. AND OCCUPIED SYRIAN GOLAN.

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation) held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaban 1417H (9-13 December, 1996),

Recalling the Resolutions adopted by previous Islamic Conferences and the recommendation issued by the 20th Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs, concerning educational situation in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and Occupied Syrian Golan;

1. Condemns the measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities against the educational and cultural organs and institutions in the occupied Palestinian territories aimed at denying the Palestinians access to education, so as to obliterate their national identity and sever their relation with their education and history, and distort their culture to serve the designs of occupation.

2. Appeals to the Member States to support the efforts of the Palestine Liberation Organization aimed at promoting the educational process in the occupied Palestinian territories over the transitional period, and to provide it with technical and financial means for the development of the necessary curricula for all educational levels.

3. Calls upon Member States to promptly extend every kind of academic and financial assistance and support to the educational sector in the occupied Palestinian territories so that it may fulfill its mission in the reconstruction of the Palestinian national institutions and so that the educational institutions may contribute to the establishment of the Palestinian people’s national authority on their homeland, and as a further enhancement to Islamic solidarity with the Palestinian people.

4. Calls upon Member States to extend every necessary assistance to provide the financial requirements for the promotion of the educational process in the occupied territories in general and in the City of Al-Quds in particular, in view of the great difficulties faced by education in the holy City on account of the practices of the Israeli occupation authority aimed at the judaization of the City and at severing it from its Arabo-Islamic environment.

5. Condemns the Israeli acts of repression against and the closure of educational institutions in the occupied Syrian Golan, and in particular the banning of the Syrian textbooks and educational system, barring Syrian students from pursuing their studies in Syrian universities, depriving the Syrian students who pursue their higher education in the Arab Republic of Syria of their right to return, imposing the Hebrew Language on the Syrian students, imposing curricula which incite to hatred, hostility and religious fanaticism, laying off Syrian teachers, all of which constitute acts which flagrantly violate the Fourth Geneva Convention signed on 12 August 1949, on the protection of citizens in times of war, and which in fact but give further staying power to the resistance of the Syrian Arab people in the face of the Israeli aimed at the obliteration of their Arab cultural

practices identity; it condemns the continuation of settlement expansion in the occupied Syrian Golan and the measures against the population whereby Israel is practicing intellectual and cultural terrorism against Syrian nationals, and declares its support for the maintenance of the Syrian Arab educational curricula and the provision of educational and cultural requirements.

6. Appeals to the international specialized organs and institutions to oppose this Israeli policy which violates international law and conventions and the Universal Human Rights Declaration.

7. Recommends the General Secretariat to continue its coordination with the international organs and institutions and particularly the UN and its specialized agencies, mainly the UNESCO and UNRWA with the purpose of giving assistance to the PLO and providing the necessary support for the development and updating of curricula at all educational levels. This is to be done within the framework of the establishment of the Palestinian national authority which is impeded by financial difficulties resulting from a deficit in terms of currently available resources to meet the requirements for the development of academic life in the occupied Palestinian territories.

8. Invites the Member States to extend all necessary facilities to the Palestinian students so as to enable them to enroll in their universities and specialized institutes and thus help them complete their university studies and also underlines the need to increase the number of scholarships and seats for the benefit of the Palestinian youth in the Islamic States and particularly in the fields of higher studies, technical, technological and teacher training.

9. Calls for extending support to the Open University of Al-Quds in view of its vital importance in strengthening the resistance of the Palestinian people and enabling them to continue their university studies and also calls for extending all the technical and financial assistance necessary for the university to develop and settle its problems so that it may open new branches and discharge its educational mission in an optimal manner.

10. Expresses its high appreciation for the role played by the Palestinian schools and universities in the preservation of the Palestinian culture and heritage and in confronting the measures adopted by the Israeli occupation authorities against the educational and cultural institutions and organs in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories.

11. Reaffirms the need to implement the recommendation addressed to Islamic Universities’ managements to receive training and academic missions from the universities of the occupied territories to work in their universities for short periods .

12. Recommends to provide all kinds of financial and academic assistance and support to the universities of the occupied territories in implementation of the successive Islamic Conferences, and to work for the establishment of a Centre for Higher Studies in the occupied Palestinian territories.

13. Calls for support to the steadfastness of the Syrian people in the occupied Golan against the Israeli practices aimed at obliterating their Arab cultural identity and proclaims its support for the maintenance of Syrian Arab educational programmes and the provision of educational and cultural requisites.

14. Requests the Secretary General to follow-up the implementation of this resolution and submit a report thereon to the next session of the ICFM.

p. 302

RESOLUTION NO.27/24-C

ON THE

PRESERVATION OF THE ISLAMIC CHARACTER OF AL-QUDS AL-SHARIF

AND ITS HUMAN HERITAGE AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation) held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaban 1417H (9-13 December, 1996),

Recalling the earlier resolutions of the Islamic Conferences and the recommendation of the 20th Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs concerning the preservation of the Islamic character of the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and its human heritage;

1. Reiterates all earlier Islamic resolutions on the preservation of the Islamic character of Al-Quds and its human heritage.

2. Condemns the aggressive and expansionist policies of the Zionist enemy and particularly its policy which seeks to establish further settlements and to transfer and resettle hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants in the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif, which are policies aimed at seriously altering in their demographic and historic nature and judaizing them, which may jeopardize the Peace Process and represents a flagrant violation of international law and of the relevant U.N. and Security Council Resolutions.

3. Calls for the continuation of action at all Islamic and international levels with a view to forcing Israel to abrogate its decision to annex the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, reaffirming the City’s Arabo-Islamic chracter and reject its annexation or judaization, pursuant to the relevant resolutions of international legality, and particularly the UN Security Council’s resolutions No. 465 and 478.

4. Requests the General Secretariat to continue its coordination with the international organs and institutions and particularly with the UNESCO to prevent the Israeli authorities from demolishing the buildings around the Al-Quds Holy Shrine demand that they close the tunnel and stop their excavation works especially or. the south side of the Holy Shrine whose objective is to destroy the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and erect their alleged temple on its site.

5. Recommends that an information seminar be organized on the City of Al-Quds particularly under the current situation so as to inform public opinion of imminent threats to the City, and the need to safeguard the Islamic and Christian Shrines and guarantee the right of worship for all believers.

6. Urges the General Secretariat and the OIC Member States to extend every material assistance to enable the Palestinian people to face up to the Israeli challenges and schemes aimed at obliterating religious monuments of the Holy City of Al-Quds, and reaffirms the need for extending all sorts of support and assistance to the residents of Al-Quds Al-Sharif for the repairing of their houses, support to their steadfastness and salvaging the Islamic shrines in Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

7. Commends, in this context, the efforts being exerted by Al-Quds Committee of the Organization of the Islamic Conference under the Chairmanship of King Hassan II, the Monarch of the Kingdom of Morocco.

8. Requests the Secretary General to follow-up the implementation of this resolution and submit a report thereon to the next session of the ICFM.

p. 304

RESOLUTION NO.28/24-C

ON THE

ISRAELI AGGRESSIONS AGAINST

ISLAMIC SHRINES IN AL-KHALIL

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session of Fraternity and Cooperation) held in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia from 28 Rajab to 3 Shaban 1417H (9-13 December, 1996),

Reaffirming the objectives of the Charter of the OIC aimed at ensuring coordination for the safeguard and liberation of the Holy places;

Recalling the resolutions adopted by Islamic Conferences on the Unified Stand Against the Profanation of Islamic Sanctities and Values, in particular resolution 3/6-C(IS) of the Sixth Islamic Summit Conference and 17/21-C of the Twenty-First Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers;

Expressing its grave concern over the schemes being devised against the Enclosure of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil with the aim of Judaizing it, seizing part of it and preventing worshippers from entering it;

Recalling Security Council resolution number 904 (1994) on the Massacre in the Enclosure of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil;

1. Strongly condems the repeated Israeli aggressions against the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil, in particular, the massacre perpetrated by the settlers against Palestinian worshippers in the Enclosure of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Ramadan 1414H killing tens of them.

2. Strongly condemns the aggressive Israeli scheme for the partition of the Enclosure of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil, which aims at seizing and judaizing most of it and building a Jewish Synagogue therein, and which constitutes an aggression against Islamic sanctities and feelings and a violation of all international Conventions and Charters in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.

3. Requests Member States to coordinate and intensify their efforts in the various international fore to prevent the implementation of the Israeli scheme for partitioning the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil, to ensure its access for Muslims and to preserve the integrity of the Ibrahimi Enclosure as a Mosque for Muslims only as it has been through the ages; it warns Member States against any slackness in this regard as this would encourage Israel to undermine the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and other Islamic and Christian shrines.

4. Calls upon Member States to ensure the restoration of the old district in Al-Khalil, to safeguard the heritage and civilization of this historical city and its residents of the Palestinian families in an effort to counter Jewish colonization.

5. Requests the Secretary General to follow-up the implementation of this resolution and submit a report thereon to the next session of the ICFM.