We are in pain because efforts are not successful towards solving Palestinian cause: Sheikh Sabah


MAKKAH: (From left) Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Kuwait’s Amir His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pose for a group picture at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit. —Amiri Diwan photo

MAKKAH: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah condemned attacks on Saudi Arabia and affirmed solidarity with the Kingdom to defend its security and stability, while denouncing assaults on ships off UAE which threatened maritime navigation and oil supplies. His Highness the Amir, addressing a summit meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), said Kuwait condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia which targeted its security and safety of its citizens. Kuwait, he said, also condemned attacks on commercial ships off the United Arab Emirates, which posed a threat to regional security and stability as well as safety of maritime navigation and international oil supplies.

His Highness the Amir said the region was experiencing "critical and unprecedented challenges … which might affect our nations and stability," which required maximum cautious and allow all efforts aimed at addressing escalation to prevent the region from confrontation. He said wisdom and rationale should prevail in order to prevent conflict and thus "preserve higher interest so our nations, security and safety of our people." His Highness the Amir, meanwhile, said "we are in pain because efforts are not successful" towards solving the Palestinian cause and the suffering of the Palestinians. He called on the international community to activate its efforts to revive the peace process in the Middle East, and affirmed a resolution of the Palestinian cause should be based on right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital in line with UN resolutions, Arab peace initiative and two-state solution.

His Highness the Amir said the suffering of the Yemeni people posed a challenge to the Islamic nation. He said all international efforts failed to end the bloody conflict in Yemen because agreements were not fully implemented, and called for abiding by the recent Stockholm agreement to solve the conflict in Yemen in line with GCC initiative and its implementation mechanism, outcome of national dialogue and relevant UN resolutions.

On Syria, His Highness the Amir said efforts to solve the crisis, which entered its 9th year, were far from being accomplished which would thus prolong the suffering of the Syrian people, while security and stability of the region remain fragile. His Highness the Amir expressed support for the UN Secretary General's special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths to reach a solution that would end the humanitarian catastrophe in line with UN resolutions and communique of Geneva I. On Libya, His Highness the Amir called on the warring parties to stop hostilities thus bloodshed, and consider the safety of the Libyan people in compliance with UN envoy calls.

Terrorism, said His Highness the Amir, was targeting Muslims "therefore we should double the efforts and boost coordination with international community to confront forces of evil and to continue our victories and achievements." His Highness the Amir said the Islamic nation was "experiencing difficult conditions," noting that 37 percent of Muslims, or 507 million people, live under the poverty line, while 61 percent of displaced people around the world were Muslims. His Highness the Amir said 40 percent of Muslims were illiterate, while unemployment was more than seven percent. "These are terrifying and painful numbers," which should encourage the Islamic countries to activate development mechanisms. His Highness the Amir urged the Muslims leaders to work together to honor aspirations of their people to live in peace, security and prosperity, in addition to stopping bloodshed of Muslims in conflict areas.

Kuwait's aid

The OIC affirmed support for the legitimate leadership in Yemen, and commended Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait for their humanitarian assistance for the Yemeni people. Leaders of the OIC member countries, concluding a one-day summit in Makkah, supported Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi's endeavors to achieve political and economic security and stability in Yemen. They welcomed the resumption of the sessions of resumption of the political process to reach a political solution based on the GCC initiative and its implementation mechanism, outcome of national dialogue, UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and agreement between the Yemeni parties in Stockholm, Sweden. They praised Kuwait's relentless support of the Yemeni issue, citing the host of negotiations between the Yemeni parties for more than three months, and its $600 million contribution to the humanitarian condition in Yemen. They also praised Saudi Arabia and the UAE for providing $1.5 billion to UN agencies working in Yemen to provide aid during Ramadan. The leaders also praised Kuwait's role in support of the humanitarian situation in Syria, citing Kuwait's hosting of three donor conferences and chairing two others, as well as contributing $1.9 billion to alleviate suffering of the Syrian people, either internally displaced or refugees in other countries.

Israel's hostility

Muslim leaders reiterated commitment to the Palestinian cause and importance of establishing the independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, while condemning Israel's systematic violations of Palestinians' rights. The leaders affirmed peace and security in the Middle East could only be achieved with the full withdrawal of Israel from Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 in line with international law and relevant international resolutions, the Arab peace initiative and land-for-peace principle. They supported the Palestinian right of self-determination and right of return of Palestinian refugees in accordance with UN resolution 194. They supported Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' initiative at the UN Security Council in 2018 to launch a credible political process through an international multilateral mechanism, urging international actors to establish this mechanism to launch a credible process with a clear time frame for achieving peace based on the two-state solution thus ending Israeli colonial occupation. They urged member countries to confront political and financial pressure placed on the Palestinian people with a view of imposing unjust solutions to their cause. They rejected relocation of US and Guatemalan embassies to occupied Jerusalem and illegal recognition of the city as capital of Israel, viewing this move a blatant attack on the historical, legal and natural rights of the Palestinian people. The OIC summit considered as void any action aimed at changing the historical and legal status of Jerusalem, its status and demographic character.

It condemned the Israeli widespread and systematic crimes against unarmed Palestinian people, and urged the international community to comply with UNSC resolution 2334 to provide protection for the Palestinian people. It urged member countries to expand the economic support for the Palestinian people and the UN Palestinian refugees' agency (UNRWA).They commended Saudi Arabia's $320 million contribution to Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Fund, which aimed at preserving Islamic sacred sites in occupied Jerusalem. The OIC leaders, who called for release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, commended UNESCO's decision to referring to Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Ash-Sharif as one legal and acceptable way in the UN system, and that Bab Al-Magharebeh hill was an integral part of Al-Aqsa Mosque. They praised Kuwait and Indonesia, UNSC non-permanent members, for submitting many initiatives in for the protection of the Palestinian civilians.

Tackling Islamophobia

Muslim leaders called for a comprehensive strategy against Islamophobia with the aim of establishing a binding international legal mechanism to prevent intolerance, discrimination and hatred that were based on religion and belief. The Muslim leaders voiced alarming concern over Islamophobia as a form of racism and religious discrimination that resulted in violent acts and crimes of hatred against Muslims. They called on the UN to set March 15 as an international day against Islamophobia. They strongly condemned the terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15, that killed and wounded 50 worshippers and appreciated the government of New Zealand for its strong condemnation of these acts.

They recognized how the Prime Minister of New Zealand embraced the Muslim community and shared their grief. The leaders meanwhile urged all countries with Muslim minorities to refrain from policies, statements and practices that link Islam with terrorism or extremism. They said media in general and social media in particular have a major role in highlighting the moderation nature of Islam, and contribution of OIC to achieve Islamic solidarity. They called for the development of media infrastructure, launching satellite and internal channels. - KUNA