Statement on the activities of the OIC Secretary General,

Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, and the Islamic ministerial committee

on al-Quds and Palestine at the United Nations

 

The issue of Palestine and Al-Quds Shareef took on special significance at this year’s United Nations General Assembly as manifested by the meetings and contacts of the OIC Secretary General and the Foreign Ministers of the OIC Member States.

 

Pursuant to the Final Communiqué of the 32nd Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers held in Sana’a recently, the Islamic Ministerial Committee met with Mr Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and Mr. Javier Solana, European Union High Representative. The Committee which comprises Morocco, Yemen, Senegal, Malaysia, Turkey, Palestine and the OIC Secretary General, is tasked to hold contacts with members of the Quartet and the Vatican in order to apprise them of how dangerous the condition has become in Palestine, particularly Al-Quds Al-Shareef, due to illegal Israeli practices such as the continued construction of the separation wall and settlements. 4

 

Professor Ihsanoglu also met with Mr. Alvaro de Soto, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Special Coordinator of the Middle East peace process, and held several bilateral and press meetings which focused on the following issues:

 

– The Al-Quds issue is central to the Organization of the Islamic. The issue is not a local issue but an international one that concerns the entire international community. The Holy City must therefore be given the necessary attention and protected from illegal Israeli measures aimed at altering its demographic, topographic, cultural, civilisational and historic landmarks. Efforts must be made to stop the settlement and the building of separation wall in and outside Al-Quds City. Al-Quds is passing through difficult times due to illegal Israeli measures.

– Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank and some locations in the north of the West Bank is an important step that must be followed by other steps which would lead to withdrawal from all Palestinian territory occupied in 1967, including the East Jerusalem.

 

– Attention must be drawn to the attempts by Israel to deceive international public opinion and make the withdrawal from Gaza the final step and a cover to continue the building of settlements and separation wall.

 

– The need to support the people of Al-Quds in order to boost their steadfastness. In this regard, the Al-Quds and Palestine committees must work to translate words into action.

 

– Contacts with members of the Quartet, the Vatican and influential countries must continue. Also, similar contacts must be intensified with influential forces especially in the United States in order to apprise them of Israel illegal measures in the in Al-Quds and the rest of the Palestinian territory.

 

The Committee of Six on Palestine held its meeting at the United Nations headquarters on the sidelines of the General Assembly. The Committee adopted important recommendations relating to the latest developments in Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Shareef.

 

The final communiqué issued by the coordination meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers, held on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 23 September 2005, contained important decisions to support Palestine right and follow up various issues included in this year’s agenda of the United Nations General Assembly concerning the question of Palestine and Al-Quds and the Arab-Israeli Conflict.

 

Jeddah : 26 September 2005


Document Type: Press Release
Document Sources: Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
Subject: Holy places, Jerusalem, Palestine question, Peace proposals and efforts
Publication Date: 26/09/2005