ISTANBUL: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah delivers a speech during the extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday. —KUNA

ISTANBUL: The State of Kuwait will continue diplomatic efforts until the United Nations Security Council issues a resolution for protecting the Palestinian people, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah pledged on Friday.

"At the time members of the Security Council mourn the martyrs expressing their sentiments toward the grave tragedy and hardship, the council stands idle and incapable of offering aid to the unarmed civilians, either in a statement or resolution of condemnation," said His Highness the Amir, addressing the extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Summit, held here to discuss the plight of the Palestinian people following the latest Israeli attacks in Gaza that left at least 60 Palestinian martyrs.

Although HH the Amir voiced frustration with the UNSC failure to issue an effective resolution for the Palestinian cause, he vowed that the State of Kuwait would pursue the bids to issue a resolution stipulating international protection for the brotherly Palestinian people; in the face of the repressive Israeli practices. "My country will also continue the bids in support of the Palestinian brothers for attaining their legitimate right of establishing the independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital as mentioned in the international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab peace initiative and the two States' principle," HH the Amir emphasized.

Israeli breaches

HH the Amir noted Kuwait, through its non-permanent membership at the UNSC, sought to issue a statement condemning the Israeli breaches, calling to bring the perpetrators into account, regretfully however, the council failed to issue such a resolution. Currently, consultations are being conducted among the member states regarding a draft resolution that "we have presented regarding the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories stipulating international protection for the Palestinian people," HH the Amir disclosed.

HH the Amir expressed deep distress at the tragic events in many countries namely the occupied territories, Syria, Yemen and Myanmar. "We have witnessed in these regions breaches of human rights, fierce humanitarian hardship, while we have taken resolutions at the Security Council and within framework of the international legitimacy that do not reach the implementation phase.

"The frustration and despair have been aggravated due to this situation, thus we are compelled to revise our action mechanisms at various levels to resolve the real crisis of values and principles.

"The decision to transfer the American embassy to Jerusalem unilaterally and the subsequent repercussions constitute blatant defiance of believers in heavenly religions and stark evidence of the real moralistic crisis we are experiencing." His Highness the Amir, who began the statement saluting the top host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality, said "We have followed up with grave pain and distress the occupation Israeli Army employment of excessive force against our innocent brothers, the Palestinian people, among whom scores have been killed and thousands have been wounded.

Palestinian identity

"These events coincided with inaugurating the US embassy in the holy city Jerusalem; this unilateral decision aims at altering Jerusalem's Palestinian identity, the historic status, Judaizing the sacred city, altering its demographic status, its religious and historic identity as a city for all heavenly religions. "Therefore, it cannot be annexed with unilateral decisions and its status must be subject to negotiations among the concerned parties. Moreover, this decision constitutes blatant violation of the Security Council resolutions and jeopardizes the peace process in the Middle East."

"We ask the whole world, why the Palestinian people plight continues? Why we ignore and do not implement Security Council resolutions? Why the international community is incapable of resolving this cause? Why the victim continues to be portrayed as the killer according to Israel's norms? Why Israel always escapes punishment? Why all these souls have been wasted amid absence of the world conscience? "We also say to the world we are raising these questions because we are aware of the dire consequences that will ultimately lead to creation of tension zones, an incubating environment for violence, threats and instability."

His Highness the Amir arrived in Istanbul, earlier on Friday, leading Kuwait's delegation at the special Islamic Summit. HH the Amir was welcomed by Deputy Governor of Istanbul Mehmet Ali Ulutas, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Turkey Ghassan Al-Zawawi, Kuwaiti Consul in Istanbul Mohammad Al-Mohammad and embassy staff. -KUNA