RESOLUTIONS ON THE CAUSE OF PALESTINE, AL-QUDS AL-SHARIF,
THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT AND THE ISLAMIC BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL
ADOPTED BY THE THIRTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN
MINISTERS (SESSION OF PROGRESS AND GLOBAL HARMONY)
ISTANBUL –REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
26 – 28 RABIUL THANI, 1425H (14-16 JUNE, 2004)
On the Cause of Palestine, Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Arab-Israeli Conflict.
On the Occupied Syrian Golan.
On Israel’s continued occupation of parts of Lebanon and detention of Lebanese citizens in its jails and detention camps.
On the current situation of the peace process in the Middle East.
On the commitment to the implementation of principles and provisions of the Islamic Boycott of Israel.
RESOLUTION N. 1/31-PAL
ON THE CAUSE OF PALESTINE, THE CITY OF AL-QUDS AL-HARIF AND THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT
The Thirty-first Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey (Session of Progress and Global Harmony), from 26 to 28 Rabiul Thani 1425H (14-16 June 2004),
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the Cause of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict (Document No.ICFM/31-2004/PAL/SG.REP.1);
Proceeding from the principles and objectives enshrined in the Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC);
Based on the Islamic resolutions on the Cause of Palestine, the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Arab-Israeli Conflict;
Recalling the resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, particularly resolutions 242 (1967); 252 (1968); 338 (1973); 425 (1978); 465 (1980); 476 (1980); 478 (1980); 681 (1990); 1073 (1996); 1397 (2002); 1435 (2002); and 1515 (2003) and UN General Assembly resolution194 on refugees, as well as resolutions ES-10/17 and A/ES-10-10 adopted by the 10th Extraordinary Emergency Session of the General Assembly in 2002 on illegal Israeli practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, and the UN General Assembly resolution A/ES-10/L.16 adopted by its 10th Extraordinary Emergency Session requesting the consultative opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the construction of the apartheid wall;
Referring to the UNGA resolution at its 58th Session, under item 38, which reaffirms that the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem, is still under Israeli military occupation;
Referring also to the resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Commission relating to human rights violations in the occupied Arab and Palestinian territories as well as the resolutions adopted by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the African Union (AU) and the League of Arab;
Expressing its strong condemnation of Israel’s persistent and mounting aggressions against the holy places in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the other Palestinian cities, desecration of the holy places and violation of the hall of the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque and aggressing people performing prayer there;
Expressing its strong condemnation of Israel’s illegal measures and practices in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif carried out in contradiction with international resolutions and laws with the purpose of judaizing the holy city and eradicating its Arab and Islamic character;
Rejecting the declarations made by the President of the United States George Bush during the joint press conference with the Israeli prime minister on 14/04/2004,
and the American letter of guarantees to Israel, which contained dangerous concessions to Israel concerning the final settlement and the mechanism of agreement thereon, which jeopardizes the national rights of the Palestinian people,
Affirming the Islamic States’ commitment to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region;
Holding Israel fully responsible for destroying the Middle East peace process on all tracks as a result of the Israeli government’s intransigence, its reneging on the foundations of the peace process, especially UN Security Council resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and the “land for peace” principle, and its failure to comply with the terms of the agreements concluded according to this principle;
Emphasizing that the Israeli policies, practices and expansionist designs threaten not only Arab states and the peace process, but also the Islamic countries at large and jeopardize international peace and security;
Hailing the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their valiant “Intifada” (uprising) aimed at recovering their inalienable national rights;
Resolving to back such efforts by all possible ways and means:
RESOLUTION N. 2/31-PAL
ON THE OCCUPIED SYRIAN GOLAN
The Thirty-first Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey (Session of Progress and Global Harmony), from 26 to 28 Rabiul Thani 1425H (14-16 June 2004),
Having considered the item titled "The Occupied Syrian Golan" and Israel's decision of 14-12-1981 to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Occupied Syrian Golan;
Having reviewed the repressive measures to which the Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan are being subjected and Israel's continued attempts to force them to accept Israeli identity;
Recalling the relevant resolutions of previous Islamic Conferences, particularly Resolution 3/30-P of the 30th Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, and Resolution 3/10-P (IS) of the 10th Islamic Summit held in Putrajaya, Malaysia;
Recalling also Security Council Resolution 497 (1981) dated 17-12-1981 and the relevant UN General Assembly Resolutions, latest of which was the one adopted by the Fifty-eighth Session;
Observing that Israel, in contravention of Article 25 of the United Nations Charter, has refused to accept and implement the numerous relevant resolutions adopted by the Security Council, in particular resolution 497 (1981) which considered null and void and with no legal consequence Israel’s decision to annex the occupied Syrian Golan;
Deeply concerned at Israel’s persistent attempts to defy the will of the international community and its reaffirmation of the annexation decisions considered null and void and illegitimate by the international community;
Affirming that the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians in times of War (dated 12 August 1949) applies to the occupied Syrian Golan and that setting up settlements and bringing settlers to this area constitutes a violation of this Convention and destruction of the peace process;
Affirming the fundamental principle of the inadmissibility of acquisition of territories by force;
Condemning Israel’s non-compliance with the will of the international community by withdrawing from the occupied Syrian Golan which it occupies since 1967 contrary to the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly as well as international law.
Expressing concern over Israel's destruction of the Peace Process which was launched by the Madrid Conference on the basis of the Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, as well as the peace-for-land formula and the risks resulting from Israel's reneging on the commitments and obligations reached,
1. Lauds the steadfastness of the Syrian Arab citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan against the occupation and their valiant resistance to Israel's repressive measures and against the continued attempts to undermine their attachment to their land and to their Syrian Arab identity, and declares its support for this steadfastness.
2. Strongly condemns Israel for its failure to comply with Security Council Resolution 497 (1981) and reaffirms 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 and that it constitutes a blatant violation of the UN Charter and its relevant resolutions and of the OIC Charter and resolutions as well as the Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians in times of war dated 12 August 1949 and relevant provisions of the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907, and the rules of international law, in particular the inadmissibility of acquisition of territory by force.
3. Strongly condemns Israel for its persistence in changing the legal status, demographic composition and institutional structure of the Occupied Syrian Golan, and for its policy and practices particularly confiscating lands, appropriating water resources, establishing and expanding settlements and transferring settlers and immigrants thereto, exploiting their natural resources and establishing projects on them, and imposing an economic boycott of the agricultural products of the local population and prohibiting their exportation.
4. Strongly condemns also Israel's attempts to impose Israeli nationality and identity cards on the Syrian Arab citizens, as these measures constitute a flagrant violation of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians in Times of War of 1949 and the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly and other international bodies.
5. Condemns repeated Israeli threats against Syria aiming at wrecking the peace process and escalating tension in the region.
6. Reaffirms that Israel’s continued occupation of the Syrian Golan since 1967 and its annexation of it on 14 December 1981 constitute a permanent threat to peace and security in the region.
7. Reaffirms also the right of the Syrian Arab Republic to recover its full sovereignty over the Occupied Golan.
8. Demands Israel to fully withdraw from all the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of the 4th of June 1967 in implementation of the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and to immediately begin demarcating that line.
9. Also demands Israel to fully respect all the foundations of the peace process as initiated in Madrid consistent with Security Council resolutions Nos. 242 and 338 and the “land for peace” formula and to abide by all the commitments and pledges reached so far.
10. Demands anew all states to stop providing Israel with any military, economic, financial, technological or humanitarian assistance that may extend Israeli occupation of Syrian Golan and encourage Israel to pursue its expansionist settlement policy.
11. Requests the co-sponsors of the peace process and the international community to assume their responsibilities and compel Israel to implement the resolutions of international legality calling for total Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of 4 June 1967 and from other occupied Arab lands, and to immediately start demarcating this line in order to achieve a durable and comprehensive peace in the region.
12. Declares its support for the firm position of Syria in its commitment to a durable and comprehensive peace in the region.
13. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of this resolution, and to submit a report thereon to the 32nd Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.
RESOLUTION N. 3/31-PAL
ON ISRAEL’S CONTINUED OCCUPATION OF PARTS OF LEBANON AND DETENTION OF LEBANESE CITIZENS IN ITS JAILS AND DETENTION CAMPS
The Thirty-first Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey (Session of Progress and Global Harmony), from 26 to 28 Rabiul Thani 1425H (14-16 June 2004),
Commending anew the steadfastness of Lebanon and the valor of its national resistance in achieving victory over the Israeli occupation forces and liberating most of its territories in the South and Western Bekaa;
Recalling the resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Conference on Islamic solidarity with Lebanon to put an end to the Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories in the South and West Bekaa;
Noting Israel’s continued occupation of parts of Lebanese territories and positions along the Lebanese borders, its incomplete withdrawal from all Lebanese territories back to the internationally recognized borders in accordance with Security Council Resolution 425 (1978) and its continued violation of Lebanese airspace and plundering of their waters and soil;
Deeply concerned at Israel’s continued, arbitrary detention of Lebanese citizens in Israeli prisons and camps in flagrant violation of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians in Times of War of 1949, and the Hague Convention of 1907;
Noting with extreme concern and astonishment the ruling issued by the Israeli Supreme Court to allow the Israeli authorities to keep the Lebanese detainees in Israeli jails as “hostages and a card for compromise, and also to detain them without trial”;
Recalling as well the resolutions of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva on the suffering of Lebanese citizens in Israeli jails who experience difficult health and humanitarian conditions resulting in the death of a number of them;
Reaffirming Lebanon’s right to compensation for the losses in human life, material damages and substantial economic losses it has sustained as a result of Israel’s repeated aggressions against Lebanese citizens and infrastructure, and the ensuing damages and heavy loss of life and property;
1. Expresses anew its congratulations and appreciation to the Republic of Lebanon, its President, Government and People and commends the valiant Lebanese resistance as well as the admirable Lebanese steadfastness which repelled the Israeli forces from the South of Lebanon and the Western Bekaa.
2. Strongly condemns Israel for its continued aggression against the Lebanese territories and its daily violations of the Lebanese sovereignty on the sea, land and airspace.
3. Also strongly condemns Israel for its continued occupation of positions on the internationally recognized Lebanese borders, and Lebanese territories, including the Shaba’a farms, in contravention of the provisions of Security Council resolution 425 (1978).
4. Reaffirms its commitment to Lebanon’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and supports the position of the Lebanese government which insists on the necessity of ensuring the complete withdrawal of the Israeli forces from all Lebanese territories back to internationally recognized borders and of bringing them under Lebanese sovereignty. Reaffirms Lebanon’s right to recover every inch of its occupied territories and to reserve the right to resist Israeli occupation by all legitimate means until the liberation of all its territories including the Shabaa farms and supports Lebanon’s right to its waters in accordance with the International Law against Israeli avaricious designs.
5. Supports the Lebanese position calling for maintaining the number of international forces working in Southern Lebanon without decreasing it or changing the nature of their task, especially in the light of the continuing Israeli threats, aggressions, and violations of the sovereignty of the Lebanese territories, air space, and territorial waters and mandates the Islamic Group at the United Nations in New York to continue its efforts to mobilize support for the Lebanese position.
6. Condemns Israel for laying hundreds of thousands of mines in the Lebanese territories which it had occupied, and which caused, and continue to lead to the death to tens of victims as well as substantial material losses. Requests the international community to bring pressure to bear on Israel to hand over all maps of mines in Lebanon and commends the initiative of the State of the United Arab Emirates to remove these mines in cooperation and coordination with the Lebanese Government and the United Nations.
7. Requests the international community, judiciary and political bodies and Member States to condemn Israel and bring pressure to bear on it to give compensation to Lebanon for the damages caused by Israeli repeated aggressions against Lebanese territories since the establishment of the State of Israel.
8. Also demands the international community to take all necessary measures to compel Israel to immediately release all the remaining Lebanese prisoners and abductees detained in Israeli prisons in implementation of the provisions of international law and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the
Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, and the Hague Convention of 1907, and urges Member States and international organizations to exert pressure on Israel to allow representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations to visit Lebanese detainees in Israeli prisons on a regular basis, report on their conditions, and provide them with health and humanitarian care. Requests the adoption of a decision by international organizations, especially, the UN Human Rights Commission to conduct enquiries, imposed by international conventions, into the death of Lebanese detainees in Israeli jails and detention camps, and force Israel to pay compensations to those affected according to prevailing international laws.
9. Reaffirms the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and warns that settling these refugees in Lebanon and not settling their cause on the basis of the resolutions of international legitimacy undermines the security and stability of the region and impedes the achievement of a durable and comprehensive peace therein.
10. Considers that the achievement of a durable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East is the appropriate way of achieving security and stability in the region. For this reason, it calls upon the international community, particularly the co-sponsors of the peace process – the United States and the Russian Federation – as well as the European Union to play a more effective role in ensuring the success of the settlement issue in accordance with the Madrid Terms of Reference and the decisions of international legality, particularly Resolutions 242, 338 and 425. Considers also that the liberation of Lebanon from Israeli occupation is a victory for Lebanon, and that it constitutes a part of the liberation of occupied Arab lands which will only be complete when the prompt and complete withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan, back to the 4th of June 1967 borders, is realized and by ensuring the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people including their right to return, rejecting their settlement outside their homeland, and establishing their independent state on their national territory with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
11. Mandates the OIC Secretary General to follow up the implementation of this resolution and to submit a report thereon to the 32nd Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.
RESOLUTION N. 4/31-PAL
ON THE CURRENT SITUATION OF THE PEACE PROCESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
The Thirty-first Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey (Session of Progress and Global Harmony), from 26 to 28 Rabiul Thani 1425H (14-16 June 2004),
Referring to the resolutions of Islamic Conferences and the recommendations of Al-Quds Committee;
Having examined the grave situation resulting from the continued policies of successive Israeli governments’ hostile to peace,
1. Reaffirms its continued solidarity with the Palestinian people for the recovery of its imprescriptible and inalienable national rights, including its right to return, to self-determination, and to the establishment of its independent state on its national territory with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
2. Reaffirms the total solidarity of the Islamic States with Syria and Lebanon to confront the continuous Israeli aggressions and threats against them, and invites all the Islamic States to express this solidarity in a practical manner and by the use of all means, as well as to stand firm with Syria and Lebanon against any Israeli aggressions targeting them.
3. Reiterates its adoption of the Arab peace initiative for settling the issue of Palestine and the Arab-Israeli conflict, which was adopted by the 14th Arab Summit held in Beirut (Lebanon) on 28 March 2002; decides to act by all means and ways to promote this initiative, state its dimensions and gain international support for its implementation.
4. Reaffirms also its commitment to just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on Israel’s implementation of the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy, particularly UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 425 guaranteeing Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied Arab and Palestinian territories, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the Syrian Golan, back to the 4th of June 1967 line and from the Lebanese territory still under occupation to the internationally recognized borders as well as securing the Palestinian people’s imprescriptible, national rights including the right to return to its homes and properties in line with United Nations General Assembly’s Resolution 194 and to establish its independent state on its national territory with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
5. Strongly condemns the Israeli government’s policy and practices which are hostile to the peace process and are designed to undermine it through the continued colonization of Arab and Palestinian territories, including the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and also designed to invalidate the foundations and terms of reference of the Madrid Peace Conference, and evade the commitments, pledges and agreements reached in the past years of peace talks with the Palestinian and other Arab parties.
6. Invites the OIC member states which have already established, or started to take steps to establish relations with Israel in the framework of the Peace Process to sever these relations, including the closing of missions and offices, cutting economic ties and stopping all forms of normalization until Israel meticulously and genuinely implements UN resolutions on the Question of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and the Arab-Israeli Conflict, and until a just and comprehensive peace is established in the region.
7. Requests the Secretary-General to follow-up the implementation of the present resolution and report thereon to the 32nd Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.
RESOLUTION N. 5/31-IBO
ON THE COMMITMENT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRINCIPLES AND PROVISIONS OF THE ISLAMIC BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL
The Thirty-first Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey (Session of Progress and Global Harmony), from 26 to 28 Rabiul Thani 1425H (14-16 June 2004),
Proceeding from the Principles and Objectives of the Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conference,
Affirming the principle of strengthening Islamic solidarity with the Palestinian people and their blessed Intifada (uprising), recognizing their cause as the foremost of all Islamic causes,
Recognizing that the boycott of Israel is an effective and legitimate method and a national sovereign right exercised by Islamic countries against Israel to project their national interests and defend just Islamic causes,
Bearing in mind the constructive cooperation and continuous coordination between the Arab and Islamic boycott offices,
Recalling resolution 5/16-adopted by the 16th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held at Fez, Kingdom of Morocco from 6 to 10 January 1986, which inter alia adopted the unified Islamic code for the boycott of Israel together with the general principles of the boycott,
Pursuant to all relevant Islamic resolutions, particularly resolution 65/29 adopted by the 29th Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Khartoum from 25 to 27 June 2002,
1. Invites Member States to commit themselves to the implementation of the provisions of the Islamic boycott of Israel; to regard as part of their national laws in force legislations, statues and by-laws of the boycott action (The General Principles of Boycott, the Islamic Code the International Regulations of Regional Offices and their regular meeting);
2. Invites Member States who have yet to establish regional offices of Islamic boycott in their countries to do so; and to appoint for those offices directors to be designated as liaison officers who shall liaise with the head office of the Islamic boycott at the General Secretariat;
3. Emphasizes on boycott offices in Arab countries as de jure Sub Islamic Offices and their directors as liaising officers lasing with the principal Islamic boycott office;
4. Decides the continuation of holding regular conferences of liaisons officers on Israeli boycott affairs in Islamic countries to be convened by the Islamic boycott office at the General Secretariats of the Organization of the Islamic Conference;
5. Commends the existing cooperation between the Arab and Islamic boycott offices with a view to achieving the utmost effectiveness of the provisions of the boycott of Israel in Islamic countries;
6. Approves the recommendations issued from the meeting of the officials in charge of the Boycott of Israel in Islamic States which was held at the OIC General Secretariat’s headquarters in Jeddah on 15 and 16 March 2003.
7. Requests the Secretary General to follow up the implementation of this resolution and report thereon to the 32nd Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.
ICFM/31-2004/PAL/IBO/RES/Final
Document Type: Resolution
Document Sources: Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Subject: Golan Heights, Palestine question, Peace process, Situation in Lebanon
Publication Date: 16/06/2004