AhlulBayt News Agency: The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) organized an event on Sunday to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, with the participation of permanent representatives to the organization. This was in response to a resolution by the UN General Assembly in 1977 to observe this day annually.
The Assistant Secretary-General for Palestinian and Jerusalem Affairs, Ambassador Samir Bakr, delivered the speech of the OIC Secretary-General, Hussein Ibrahim Taha, on this occasion, emphasizing the international community’s responsibility and commitment to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and their just struggle for justice, freedom, self-determination, and the establishment of their independent state.
The Secretary-General highlighted that the event was taking place amid serious challenges faced by the Palestinian cause due to the crime of genocide and unprecedented Israeli aggression over two years, which has put the international community to the test regarding its political will and commitment to the rule of international law.
He reiterated the need for a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, the full withdrawal of occupation forces, the opening of all crossings, and the provision of humanitarian aid without obstacles.
The Secretary-General called for a donor conference in Cairo to mobilize the necessary funding to implement the reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, which is an integral part of the land of the State of Palestine.
He stressed the need to provide international protection for the Palestinian people and to end the impunity enjoyed by the Israeli occupation, by activating accountability mechanisms under international criminal law, contributing to the establishment of justice and peace.
The Secretary-General also called for strengthening and protecting the role of UN agencies, especially UNRWA, which plays a vital role in providing essential services to Palestinian refugees and is a cornerstone for regional peace and stability.
He warned about the danger of organized terrorism and crimes committed by extremist settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under the protection and encouragement of Israeli occupation forces, targeting Palestinians, their property, and their holy sites, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque. He considered this escalation an extension of the occupation's policies of settlement, annexation, and forced displacement, aimed at undermining the two-state solution, which requires intensified political and legal efforts to confront this.
He renewed his call for the international community to provide urgent support to the Palestinian government to enable it to continue providing essential services and to exert effective pressure on Israel to return all the tax revenues it is illegally withholding.
The Secretary-General also expressed his respect and admiration for the steadfast Palestinian people and praised the noble positions of governments and free peoples that have expressed support for the Palestinian people's just cause.
He called for continued solidarity and support until the Palestinian people can end the Israeli occupation of their land and restore their legitimate rights, including their right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state within the June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
For his part, the Palestinian Consul General in Jeddah, Ihab Al-Qishawi, expressed his appreciation for the General Secretariat’s organization of this event, which underscores the centrality of the Palestinian cause to all member states. He also thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the host country, for its international, regional, and humanitarian efforts to support the resilience of the Palestinian people and the restoration of their legitimate rights, including the establishment of their independent state and its capital in Jerusalem (al-Quds).
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