GENEVA: Marzouq Al-Ghanim seen with IPU President Duarte Pacheco on Palestine in Geneva. - KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem returned home Friday after holding talks with President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Duarte Pacheco on Palestine in Geneva. Applauding IPU's condemnation of Jewish's actions and violence in Palestine, Speaker Al-Ghanem thanked Pacheco for instructing the IPU's Committee on Middle East Questions to investigate the incidents and situation in Palestine. He also welcomed Pacheco's decision to visit Palestine and meet officials in Gaza, according to Ad Dustour news network.

The meeting came in response to recommendations issued by the urgent meeting of the Arab Parliament on May 12, to discuss the Jewish escalation in Palestine. "The number of Palestinians killed in 51 days, exceeds the number of Jews killed in the past 51 years," Al-Ghanem noted.

On his part, Pacheco underlined the strong ties between IPU and Kuwait's National Assembly. He called on Zionists to abide by the international law and the UN resolutions, including the two-state solution. He also affirmed refusal to Jewish's settlement expansion, adding that it is destroying peace efforts. Pacheco called on the international community to condemn Zionist's attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the excessive use of power against Palestinians in Gaza.

Duarte Pacheco said the union would continue working towards a sustainable peace in the Middle East."The IPU has always defended peace and dialogue among all parties at the parliamentary level," he told KUNA. IPU's committees on the Middle East will continue to be a "effective platform" for dialogue and cooperation between Palestinian and Jewish MPs in "order to achieve peace and stability for all. - KUNA