OIC Counters Israeli Attempts to Alter Legal Status of Al-Quds – Press Release

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Date: 29/06/2018

Arabic: العربية

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr Yousef Al-Othaimeen, stated that no political event would overshadow the status of Al-Quds, stressing that the city projects the centrality of the Palestinian cause to the OIC. He stressed that the Organization confronts all wicked Israeli moves to distort legal and historical realities about Al-Quds, including taking every political, economic and legal action in response to those states that have followed Israel in its false allegations on the occupied city of Al-Quds, or have decided to act in such a way to embolden it in its continuing occupation of this blessed city.

This was in a statement of the Secretary General, on 27 June 2018, at the International Conference on Al-Quds, taking place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, on 26 through 28 June 2018, at the initiative of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in association with the OIC, on the theme “The Question of Al-Quds after 50 Years of Occupation and 25 Years of the Oslo Accords”.

The conference was keynoted by a statement of His Royal Majesty Mohammed VI of Morocco, Chair of Al-Quds Committee, a subset of the OIC, read out by the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nasser Bourita.

In the OIC Secretary General’s statement, read on his behalf by Ambassador Samir Bakr Diab, Assistant Secretary General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs, Dr. Al-Othaimeen expressed grateful appreciation for the steadfast support and solidarity His Majesty the Moroccan King, Chair of Al-Quds Committee, offers to the Palestinian people in their pursuit to attain their rights and defend their holy places.

Also, Dr. Al-Othaimeen reiterated the Organization’s rejection of the US decision to recognize Al-Quds as the “capital of Israel” and transfer to it the American embassy. He called on the United States of America to meet its obligation under international law to achieve a comprehensive two-state peace accord.

He also regretted the Security Council’s failure to shoulder its responsibility to end Israeli crimes and violations, faulting it for being incapable of holding it accountable.

He nevertheless welcomed the UN General Assembly resolution of 13 June 2018, sponsored by the Arab and Muslim group, to ensure international protection for the Palestinian people.