The Arab League Summit called for immediate withdrawal of
Israeli occupation forces from the Gaza Strip and deployment of international
peacekeeping forces in the occupied Palestinian territories.
A joint
communiqué called “Manama Declaration,” issued at the end of the one-day summit
in Manama, Bahrain on Thursday, leaders of the 22-nation Arab League reiterated
their firm position for a just and comprehensive peaceful settlement of the
Palestinian issue and their support for an international peace conference on
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The 33rd summit was held under the chairmanship of
Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa. Crown Prince and Prime Minister
Mohammed bin Salman, headed the Saudi delegation to the summit.
The
Arab leaders called on the international community to advance the peace process
toward achieving a just peace based on the two-state solution. “We call for the
deployment of international protection and peacekeeping forces affiliated with
the United Nations in the occupied Palestinian territory until the two-state
solution is implemented,” the statement said.
The
summit issued a collective call to convene an international conference under
the auspices of the United Nations to resolve the Palestinian issue based on
the two-state solution, which ends the Israeli occupation of all occupied Arab
territories.
The Arab leaders directed their foreign ministers to take
immediate action to communicate with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the
countries of the world to urge them to quickly recognize the State of
Palestine.
The summit also reaffirmed the Arab League’s adherence to
the freedom of maritime navigation in international waters in accordance with
the rules of international law and the conventions of the law of the sea, and
to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of
Oman and the Arabian Gulf.
The leaders strongly condemned the threats to commercial
shipping which threaten freedom of navigation, international trade and the
interests of the countries and peoples of the world.
Highlighting
Palestine as the core issue of all Arab issues, the leaders said, “We reaffirm
the firm and permanent Arab position in support of the Palestinian issue, which
remains a central issue and the foundation upon which peace and stability in
the region can be achieved, and our categorical rejection of all attempts to
displace the Palestinian people inside or outside their land, as a clear
violation of international law, which we will collectively confront. We
reaffirm our strong condemnation of all illegal Israeli measures and practices
that target the Palestinian people and deprive them of their right to freedom,
statehood, life and human dignity, as are guaranteed by international laws.”
“We reiterate our firm position and call for a just and
comprehensive peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue, and we support the
call of Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, to convene an
international peace conference and to take irreversible steps to implement the
two-state solution in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and resolutions
of international legitimacy to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian
state on the lines of June 04, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital, and to
accept its membership in the United Nations as an independent and fully
sovereign state in common with other countries in the world, and to ensure the
restoration of all legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, in particular,
the right to return and self-determination, empowerment and support.”
The summit called for an immediate Israeli military
withdrawal from Rafah city in Gaza and an immediate and permanent ceasefire in
the Gaza Strip. They also underlined the need to end all attempts of forced
displacement and all forms of siege and for full and sustainable access to
humanitarian aid.
“We reiterate our categorical rejection of any attempts to
forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land in the Gaza Strip and
the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We call for urgent action for an
immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to the aggression in the Gaza Strip,
protection of civilians and the release of hostages and detainees.”
“We
stress the sanctity of the occupied city of Jerusalem and its place among the
monotheistic religions. We reject and condemn all Israeli attempts aimed at the
Judaization of Jerusalem, changing its Arab, Islamic and Christian identity, or
changing the historical and legal status quo in it and its holy sites, whilst
also stressing the need to protect the holy places in Bethlehem and to not
compromise its cultural identity and religious sanctity.”
The Arab leaders condemned in the strongest terms “the
ongoing brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza and the crimes committed against the
Palestinian people, as well as the unprecedented Israeli violations of
international law and human rights law.”
According to the statement, these violations include
targeting civilians and infrastructure, using siege and blockade tactics,
attempting forced displacement, and killing and injuring tens of thousands of
innocent Palestinians.
The Arab leaders slammed the extension of Israeli aggression
to Rafah city stressing that the city has become a refuge for over a million
displaced persons and that any military operations in this area would have
devastating humanitarian consequences. They denounced the fact that Israel has
seized control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing to tighten the
siege on Gaza and prevent humanitarian aid from crossing the border into the
strip.
The statement also strongly condemned Israeli settlers’
targeting of humanitarian and media organizations in Gaza and their attacks on
aid convoys, including the recent attacks on Jordanian aid convoys, along with
the failure of Israeli authorities to fulfill their legal responsibility to
protect these convoys.
The Arab leaders called for an immediate international
investigation into these attacks, and they urged the international community
and influential powers to transcend political calculations and double standards
and to fulfil their fundamental and legal responsibilities by reigning in
Israel’s aggressiveness and blatant violations of international law and humanitarian
law.
The summit underlined the need for activating relevant
international bodies to conduct independent, impartial investigations and hold
accountable those responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinian
people since the start of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
The Arab leaders renewed their call to the United Nations
Security Council to grant full membership to Palestine State.
“We welcome the decision of the United Nations General
Assembly at its meeting on May 10, 2024 on the request of the State of
Palestine to obtain full membership of the United Nations, supported by 143
countries, and we call on the United Nations Security Council to reconsider its
resolution issued in this regard in its session on April 18, 2024.”
The
summit also called for unity among the Palestinians. “We call on all
Palestinian factions to join together under the umbrella of the Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people, and to agree on a comprehensive national project and a
unified strategic vision to focus efforts towards achieving the aspirations of
the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate rights and establish their
independent national State on their national soil, on the basis of the two state
solution, and in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy
and established references.”
The leaders reiterated their call for a Middle East free of
nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, and support the right of
states to possess peaceful nuclear energy.
“We urge them to fulfill their obligations and co-operate
fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency and not to exceed the uranium
enrichment rates required for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” the
statement said.
The Summit also underlined the need for ending conflicts and
establishing peace in Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Libya.
The Arab leaders expressed their full solidarity with Sudan
in preserving its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and
preserving the institutions of the Sudanese state.
They urged the Sudanese government and the Rapid Support
Forces to engage seriously and effectively with initiatives aimed at settling
the crisis.
The
summit reaffirmed the need to end the Syrian crisis, in line with Security
Council Resolution 2254, in a way that preserves Syria's security, sovereignty
and territorial integrity, achieves the aspirations of its people, rids it of
terrorism, and provides an environment for the dignified, safe and voluntary
return of refugees.
The leaders rejected interference in Syria's internal
affairs and any attempts to bring about demographic changes in it.
The
Arab leaders renewed their firm support for the Presidential Leadership Council
of Yemen, headed by Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi. They pledged support for the
efforts of the Yemeni government in its endeavor to achieve national
reconciliation among all components of the Yemeni people, as well as Yemeni
unity to achieve security and stability in the country.
Courtesy: Saudi Gazette
