Doha – HM King Mohammed VI, President of Al-Quds Committee, addressed a message to the participants in the International Conference on Al-Quds, which opened on Sunday in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Here follows the full text of the message that was read out by Head of Governement Abdelilah Benkirane :
Praise be to God May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin
Your Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Your Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas,Your Highnesses,Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to send this message to the International Conference on Al-Quds, which is being held in the sister nation the State of Qatar. I should like to express my deep appreciation to my esteemed brother, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, for hosting this important conference pursuant to a resolution by the League of Arab States.
I commend His Highness’s praiseworthy efforts to promote national Palestinian reconciliation, which is one of the primary objectives of Arab joint action.
The participation, in this conference, of a fine group of eminent politicians, religious scholars, human rights activists and media specialists reflects a common desire to address the long, drawn-out dispute in the Middle East region, which represents a challenge to global peace.
This international conference is particularly important because it is being held in a delicate regional and international environment marked by a disturbingly stalled peace process caused by the intransigence of the Israeli authorities. Indeed, Israel has been systematically violating Palestinian rights in the occupied territories and carrying out plans to undermine the cultural, archaeological and religious features of the city of Al-Quds – particularly the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque – in blatant violation of international legitimacy resolutions and the provisions of international law, which view East Jerusalem as an integral part of the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.
The illegal, unilateral practices designed to alter the status of Jerusalem, such as excavations, invasions of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound – particularly Bab al-Maghariba – settlements, the confiscation of land and property, in addition to other practices aimed at the judaization of the Holy City are undermining efforts to reach a settlement based on a two-State solution. Such practices also broaden the gap between the parties concerned by dialogue and play into the hands of extremists, thus putting the region’s security and stability at risk, and further exacerbating tensions and violence.
Given this alarming situation, and consistent with my responsibilities as President of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Al-Quds Committee, I have repeatedly stressed the need for the international community and the world’s influential powers to take decisive action to compel Israel to put an end to its expansionist policies, and to its ever-growing aggressive practices to impose facts on the ground and unilaterally shape the future of al-Quds.In this regard, I should like to call for a comprehensive, multi-dimensional strategy that takes into account political, diplomatic, economic, social, spiritual and cultural aspects, and that builds on cohesive Arab and Islamic joint action. To that end, all our resources and energies should be employed to defend this unlawfully appropriated city.
At the political level, we must support the Arab plan to save al-Quds, and carry out further diplomatic initiatives targeting the international community. There simply cannot be peace or security in the Middle East region without a viable Palestinian State. Similarly, no viable Palestinian State can exist without East Jerusalem as its capital – a capital which is open to its environment as well as to all faiths.
As regards the spiritual and cultural dimension, action must be stepped up on the ground to safeguard the sanctity of the holy al-Aqsa Mosque and the other sacred shrines, to preserve the cultural features of al-Quds and to enhance coordination and joint action in this respect with the Vatican and the Churches in Jerusalem in order to work together for the defence of the Holy City and protect its time-honoured religious features.
Needless to say, the issue of al-Quds concerns the Palestinians in the first place, since the occupied land is theirs. But this is also a cause which is embraced by all Arabs and all Moslems in view of the fact that the city is home to the al-Aqsa Mosque, the first of the Two Qiblas and the Third Holy Shrine. In fact, this is a just cause for all peace-loving people around the world, given the special status and significance of the Holy City as a symbol of inter-faith tolerance and coexistence.
At the economic level, to support the inhabitants of al-Quds, we need to help them in their resistance through all available material means. These resources should be used to promote human development projects in Jerusalem, fight the closing down of vital Palestinian institutions and the confiscation of Palestinian land and property, and remove the blockade imposed by Israel to isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian environment.
This is precisely the mission with which I have entrusted the Bayt Mal al-Quds al-Sharif Agency, whose action I supervise personally. The Agency seeks to achieve the above objectives through concrete plans and measures in the areas of health care, education, housing and social programs that benefit the Palestinian inhabitants of al-Quds. The goal is to improve their living conditions and support their struggle.
However, in order to be comprehensive and consistent, this strategy needs to be supported by new players that wield substantial influence within decision-making bodies, namely international civil society organizations, Arab and Moslem expatriate communities, key media outlets and other players whose influence should be used to uphold and serve the just cause of the city of al-Quds.
I should like, in this respect, to reiterate the call I issued in 2009, on the occasion of the International Conference on al-Quds which was held in Rabat, to set up an international alliance of peace-loving parties that are committed to tolerance and coexistence in order to save the city of peace and safeguard its cultural features, which constitute a common heritage of mankind.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The implementation of these practical proposals should be based on a broad, multidimensional vision. Above all, efforts need to be stepped up for the defence of al-Quds, building on convergence and complementarity not only between government and community action, but also Arab and Islamic efforts, as well as between these parties and the new players representing the international community.
We do hope this International Conference will translate into effective support for al-Quds and its inhabitants. We also hope it will help international public opinion gain better insight into the justness of this cause and the paramount importance of the occupied city of al-Quds.
May Almighty God guide our steps, help us serve the cause of peace and safeguard the city of peace so that it may remain the symbol of concord and coexistence for worshippers of all faiths.
Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.
