Shoukry affirms Egypt’s firm stance towards Palestinian cause

CAIRO – 21 April 2022: In an emergency meeting of Arab Ministerial Committee for the International Action against Illegal Israeli Polices and Measures in Al-Quds on Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry affirmed Egypt’s firm stance towards the Palestinian cause.

The meeting tackled the latest developments in Palestinian territories and ways of deescalating the situation in and around Al Aqsa Mosque. The Arab Ministerial Committee for the International Action against Illegal Israeli Polices and Measures in Al-Quds condemned the Israeli attacks and violations against worshipers Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The committee, in its conclusion statement, condemned the Israeli attacks and violations against the Muslim worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque after they dangerously escalated over the past days of the holy month of Ramadan and resulted arresting and injuring hundreds of worshipers, besides causing severe damages to the facilities of the holy mosque, affirming the Hashemite guardianship of the holy sites in Al-Quds under the rule of Jordanian King Abdullah II.

The committee members, including Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Alegria, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Qatar, Morocco, and the UAE, called for removing all restrictions on the work of the Jordanian Department of Endowments in running the affairs of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“Israeli attacks and violations in Al-Aqsa Mosque represent a blatant provocation to the feelings of Muslims everywhere; they undermine freedoms of worship, incite violence, and threaten security and stability in the region and the whole world,” the committee said in the statement.

The Arab Foreign Ministers also voiced their rejection of all the illegal Israeli practices aimed at changing the legal and historical status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. They also reject any Israeli attempt to divide this sacred place.

“Israel has to respect the historical and legal status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and abide by the situation before the year 2000 as the area that had been allocated to the Muslim worshippers in Al Aqsa Mosque is 144 Dunams (144K square meters) and the visit of non-Muslims to this area shall be organized by the Jordanian Department of Endowments,” the Arab Committee members said.

They called on the UN Security Council to take immediate and effective action to stop the illegal and provocative Israeli practices in Jerusalem and Al Aqsa Mosque to prevent an exacerbation of violence and to maintain security and peace.

“The UN Security Council has to assume its responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security, and to implement its resolutions related to the city of East Jerusalem, including resolutions 252 (1968), 267 (1969), 476, 478 (1980) and 2334 (2016),” the committee said.

Furthermore, the committee voiced the aforementioned countries’ support for the intensified Arab and Islamic institutional work to support Jerusalem and Jerusalemites, and for the role of the Al-Quds Committee through the Bayt Mal Al Quds Asharif Agency chaired by Moroccan King Mohammed VI.

They also expressed full support for the Palestinian people, their leadership, and institutions in defending Jerusalem. “We support the Palestinians’ legitimate rights, especially their right to an independent and sovereign state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the basis of the two-state solution and as per the international law and the Arab Peace Initiative,” the foreign ministers said.

Moreover, the committee stressed that Israel has to stop its escalating practices and aggressions in all the occupied Palestinian territories, lift the besiege on the Gaza Strip, and stop all measures that undermine the two-state solution. They warned of the catastrophic consequences of the continued absence of political prospects and the economic pressures placed on the Palestinian people and the State of Palestine, calling for intensifying regional and international efforts to re-launch serious and effective negotiations that restore confidence in the feasibility of the peace process based on the two-state solution.

They added that the Arab Foreign Ministers and the AL Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit will coordinate with the Arab countries to make contacts with the international community to clarify the danger posed by Israeli practices in Jerusalem.

For the fifth day in a row, Israeli occupation forces have stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Quds Mosque in East Jerusalem, injuring and arresting hundreds of Palestinians. On Thursday, 20 worshippers sustained injuries by the Israeli occupation forces that raided Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the Palestinian embassy in Cairo.