OIC Summit concludes with resolve insisting on State of Palestine
*Reaffirms its rejection of all attempts to displace Palestinians from their land
*Says Palestinian struggle for self-determination legitimate for own sovereign State
*Wants International community to compel occupying power to abide by international law, UN resolutions
*Insists Israel must end its illegal occupation, apartheid in Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem
*Commends HM the King’s role in supporting Palestinian Cause, Protecting Islamic Sanctities in Al-Quds
By BASHIR ADEFAKA with Agencies
The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has ended its 15th Summit on a good note with a resolve that the achieving the State of Palestine is inevitable for peace to reign in the Middle East and for the good people of Palestine to free themselves from foreign occupation.
The DEFENDER, which followed the conference via international television stations and directly obtained documents, reports that the meeting of the Islamic nations and other member states came up in Banjul, capital of the Republic of Gambia between Saturday May 4 and Sunday May 5, 2024 with President of The Gambia, Mr. Adama Barrow, as Chairman.
It ended Sunday with adoption of three important documents namely the “Banjul Declaration”, Resolution on the Issue of Palestine and Al-Quds Ash-Sharif, and the Final Communiqué, which reiterated the support for the work the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) undertakes in the field of humanitarian affairs while calling for the remaining OIC Member States yet to join the Organisation to do so at their earlier convenience.
The OIC, in specific terms Sunday, affirmed its solidarity in confronting the humanitarian catastrophe befalling Gaza Strip and its people due to what it called the unflinching Israeli aggression for more than six months without respect for the most basic moral and humanitarian value.
It then called on the countries of the world to take action to stop the crime of genocide committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip and to implement the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice.
It also affirmed that all efforts should be made to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid and reject any attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land.
After the conference’s session of “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity Through Dialogue for Sustainable Development”, the two-day OIC Summit reached a conclusion as leaders of the Member States reiterated their “solid support for the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to attain their inalienable rights including their right to self-determination and to establish their sovereign state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital and call upon the international community to compel the Occupying power to abide by international law, and United Nations resolutions and end its illegal occupation, colonization of and apartheid in the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
“Failure to do so is bound to prolong the conflict, cause further suffering and instability in the region and diminish the chances of a “Two-State Solution”,” the World Islamic body said.
Leaders at the Summit “Reaffirm the need to enable the Palestinian people to realize their legitimate national rights, as recognised by the international community, including through its recognition of the fully sovereign State of Palestine within on the 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Shareef as its capital.”
They resolved to “Take all measures to safeguard the Islamic identity of Al-Quds Al-Sharif from the illegal measures and policies as well as Judaization attempts of the occupier and the violations against the sanctity and the status of Al-Haram Al-Sharif,” while urging “our Palestinian brothers and sisters to unite in their struggle to achieve their objectives, under the banner of the Palestine Liberation Organization the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”
According to the resolutions, they “Confirm the full solidarity of Member States with the Palestinian People in their struggle to free themselves from foreign occupation and colonization and condemn all illegal actions aimed at denying them their legitimate rights, commend the role of UNRWA in serving the Palestinian refugees and invite all States and the international community to continue supporting it to execute its historic mandate and responsibility.
“We call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and cessation of the all-out aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza, as well as for providing humanitarian, medical, and relief aid, providing water and electricity, and opening humanitarian corridors to deliver urgent aid to the Gaza Strip in an unhindered and adequate manner; warn of the danger of continuing the crime of genocide and ethnic cleansing, including starvation, deprivation of water, and preventing entry of fuel, which led to a genuine disaster for all health and humanitarian sectors; and affirm our categorical rejection and confrontation, by all means, to any attempt at forcibly displacing, expelling or transferring the Palestinian people from their land;
“We pay tribute to the solidarity of African peoples and governments with the struggle of the Palestinian people, specifically the Member States of the OIC, and their firm stance to end the historical injustice that has befallen the Palestinian people, based on their bitter experience with ending colonization and apartheid, and affirm our continued support for the Palestinian people and their just struggle until they gain all their legitimate and inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination, freedom and independence.”
King’s Role
In the meantime, the OIC Summit has hailed the constant efforts made by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to protect the Islamic sanctities in Al-Quds Asharif and to confront the measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities to Judaize the Holy City, as the Summit underlined the resolution on Palestine and Al-Quds Asharif adopted by the Summit.
The 15th OIC Conference Summit also praised the significant role played by the Bayt Mal Al Quds Asharif Agency, under the Al-Quds Committee, in carrying out development projects and initiatives for the benefit of the inhabitants of Al Quds and in support of the resistance of the Holy City.
