Al-Quds Committee reiterates commitment to protect Jerusalem

By African Bulletin on January 19, 2014

The 20th session of Al-Quds Committee concluded Saturday by reiterating commitment to supporting Palestinian struggle to establish their independent state with Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem) as its capital.

“I also want to say how much I appreciate the keenness shown by all Committee members in the final communiqu{ to ensure the protection of Al-Quds al-Sharif and achieve strong mobilization to uphold the just cause of our Palestinian brothers,” Chairman of the Committee, Moroccan King Mohammad VI said at the closing session.

“I should like to take this opportunity to reiterate my determination to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to a fully sovereign, independent State, with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital.

” He underlined that the achievement of this foremost goal requires unity of ranks, effective action and the highest degree of solidarity and commitment.

“As Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee … I promise to pursue my efforts to support the steadfast struggle of the Palestinian people and to push forward the peace process, whose key element is a fair settlement of the issue of Al Quds Al-Sharif.” “The road to peace is as long as it is arduous. It requires tremendous sacrifices on all sides,” he added

On his side, the Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Abdullah, Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the Saudi delegation to the 20th session of the Al-Quds Committee, stressed that it is imperative to stop Israeli attempts to Judaize the city of Al-Quds.

In a press statement after the conclusion of the closed-door meeting of the heads of delegations here on Saturday he said that the meeting of the Al-Quds Committee will deliberate over two days threats to Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa and the responsibility of everyone to defend the holy city in the face of attempts to remove its Arab-Islamic-Christian character.

Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Iyad Madani said that tampering with Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Quds is a red line which the Islamic Ummah will not allow anyone to cross in any way.

In his speech, he warned against Israel’s attempts to Judaize the city of Al-Quds calling for measures to face these attempts.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Friday against Israel using peace talks as a “cover” to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank. The US-brokered peace talks must “not serve as a cover for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories,” said Abbas.

Israel last week announced plans to build some 1,800 new homes for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, including annexed Arab East Jerusalem. The announcement came only days after the latest peace mission by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who slammed the settlements as “illegitimate” and “unhelpful”.

The controversial decision prompted Britain, Italy, France and Spain to summon Israeli ambassadors in protest, with the Jewish state calling in European ambassadors on Friday in a tit-for-tat move.

“There can be no peace without stability, nor agreement without occupied East Jerusalem being recognized as the capital of the Palestinian state,” Abbas said.

The Al-Quds Committee was founded by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in 1975 to resist the confiscation of Palestinian land and assets in occupied Jerusalem

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