OIC FM meeting (Khartoum) – Declaration on Palestine – Non-UN document

DECLARATION ISSUED BY THE 29TH SESSION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTERS ON THE DANGEROUS SITUATION IN PALESTINE

          The 29th Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers held in Khartoum, Republic of the Sudan, from 25 to 27 June, 2002, having reviewed the dangerous situation of the Palestinian people and its legitimate leadership resulting from the policy of oppression and crimes perpetuated by the Israeli occupation forces, and so as to stop the bloodbath and the deterioration of the situation in the region, urges the international community and in particular the group of four – the Untied States, the Russian Federation, the European Union and the United Nations to take immediate action in order to:

·      Put an end to the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, including the reoccupation of Palestinian cities, villages and camps, and to stop the assassinations, the destruction of houses, the demolition of infrastructure and the violation and destruction of Islamic and Christian holy places. 

·     Put an immediate end to all aggressive Israeli measures against the City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, especially the policies of judaization, settlement, demolition of Palestinian houses, confiscation of Palestinian identities, usurpation of Palestinian lands, and alteration of the character of their city, and also to put an immediate end to Israel’s policy of isolating the holy city from its Palestinian environment, setting up barricades around the city, and preventing Palestinians from entering or reaching their places of worship. 

·     Compel Israel to stop building the racist fence which is swallowing up Palestinian land, creating unjust “fait-accompli” against the right of the Palestinian State to its borders, and exacerbating conditions in the region. 

·     Compel the Israeli occupation forces to withdraw to the positions they occupied before 28 September, 2000; to lift the internal and external blockades, to lift all barricades around the Palestinian cities, villages, and camps, and to put an end to all Israeli inhuman measures and practices against the Palestinian people, in violation of all international covenants and conventions.   

·      Erase all Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif. 

·      Release all Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. 

·     Provide international security for the Palestinian people against Israeli acts of aggression. 

·      Allow the supply of food and medical products to Palestinian territories and to release the funds of the Palestinian authority, seized by Israel. 

·      Resume negotiations on the basis of the Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 in particular and the principle of land for peace from the point they were suspended and according to a specific timetable, and a political perspective based on Security Council resolutions 1397, 1402, 1403, and the Arab Peace Initiative, which ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital on the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 and secure a just solution of the refugee problem in accordance with international legality, especially resolution 194. 

The Conference reiterates the support of the entire Islamic Ummah for the Palestinian people under the leadership of valorous President Yasser Arafat in their struggle to regain their rights in accordance with United Nations resolutions.

The Conference also demands Israel’s withdrawal to the 4th June 1967 borders, the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital and the return of Palestinian refugees in accordance with United Nations General Assembly resolution 194.