Bahrain participates in Arab foreign ministers meeting

Manama, May 17 (BNA): The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, participated in the meeting of the Council of the Arab League in its extraordinary session, held at the level of Foreign Ministers in Cairo today to look into the developments in the State of Palestine. The minister expressed his sincere thanks to the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for calling for this meeting at this delicate moment to discuss the dangerous escalation on the Palestinian territories, which pose a threat to the entire region in light of the use of force and the unacceptable targeting of the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupying forces. This escalation is taking place against the Palestinians who demand their legitimate and just rights with the steadfastness, continuous struggle and an honorable national stand to restore their rights, he said. He stressed that the Palestinian issue is the issue of every Arab and every Muslim, as it is a political issue and not a religious one that aims to end the occupation of land and return of the people to their homes. This meeting demonstrates a unified Arab position in solidarity with the Palestinian brothers and in strong denunciation and rejection of the killing and confiscation of rights, in total disregard of all international laws and norms, he noted. He described as a human plight that requires swift and firm action by the international community and the Security Council, which both have to shoulder their responsibilities to stop these Israeli aggressions. Shaikh Khalid stressed Bahrain's condemnation of the targeting of the Palestinian civilians last Monday, which led to the death and injury of dozens of victims and warned of the serious dangers and negative repercussions of this serious escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories. He said Bahrain supports a probe in these terrible crimes and calls on the international community to provide protection to the brotherly Palestinian people. The minister reiterated the Kingdom of Bahrain's steadfast position in support of the Palestinian cause and the aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people, affirming their right to establish an independent and sovereign state on the borders of June 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. He called on the international community to work hard to achieve a just and comprehensive peace and enforce international resolutions on the city of Jerusalem, stressing that East Jerusalem is part of the territories occupied in 1967, as recognized in the resolutions of the United Nations itself and supported by the international community. Shaikh Khalid noted that the Jerusalem issue is one of the final status issues, the settlement of which can only be achieved through negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, not by unilateral measures that change the status in violation of international resolutions and impede the settlement of the issue and the efforts aiming to establish security and peace in the region, He called for concerted efforts at all levels to overcome the difficulties and to do everything possible to avoid further deterioration and advance the peace process and consolidate peace and security in the region. The meeting took the following decisions: - Reaffirming rejection and condemnation of the United States’ decision that recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the occupying force, considering it null and void and viewing the transfer of its embassy to the Holy City of Jerusalem as a dangerous precedent that violates international accords on the occupied Jerusalem and its legal and historical status. - Considering the United States of America's relocation of its embassy to the city of Jerusalem on the date the Palestinians were commemorating the "Nekba" a further aggression of their rights and a provocative action that hurts the feelings of the Arab, Islamic and Christian nations. - Condemning Guatemala's relocation of its embassy to the city of Jerusalem and declaring that appropriate political and economic measures are to be taken in this regard. - Reaffirming the Arab states' recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state. - Supporting the decisions taken by the Palestinian leadership in defense of the rights of the Palestinian people at various levels and in response to the transfer of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, including accession to more international treaties and organizations, and referral of the Israeli crimes, including its colonial and settlement files, to the appropriate international courts and mechanisms. - Calling on the international community, including the Security Council, to follow up on the implementation of its resolutions and the commitment of States and urging all countries to abide by the Security Council resolutions 476 and 478 (1980) and the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly under its tenth special emergency session (Union for Peace), No. A / RES / ES-10/19 (2017). - Thanking the States and organizations that have rejected the American decision on Jerusalem and supported a just and comprehensive peace that meets the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, in accordance with international law and the resolutions of international legitimacy. - Condemning the participation of some countries in the American Embassy relocation ceremony to the city of Jerusalem and considering it an encouragement of illegal actions at the international level. - Paying tribute to the heroic struggle and sacrifices of the Palestinian people in defense of their land and holy Islamic and Christian sites and their inalienable rights against the Israeli occupation, its policies and practices. - Condemning the widespread systematic crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the unarmed Palestinian civilians as war crimes and crimes against humanity under international humanitarian law and the international human rights law. - Instructing the General Secretariat to act immediately and form an independent international committee of experts to investigate the crimes and massacres committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the demonstrators in the Gaza Strip. - Demanding from the Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Human Rights Council and its rapporteurs and the High Commissioner for Human Rights to take the necessary to establish an international commission of inquiry to probe the recent Gaza events. - Calling upon the international community to intervene immediately to ensure the protection of the Palestinian civilians from the crimes of the Israeli occupation forces and demanding that the Security Council enforce its decisions on the protection of the Palestinian civilians. - Supporting and appreciating the incessant efforts by the State of Kuwait, the Arab member of the Security Council, in following the developments of the Palestinian cause and defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. - Reiterating adherence to peace as a strategic option and resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict in accordance with the 2002 Arab peace initiative with all its components. - Strongly condemning the recurrent Israeli assaults on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and allowing settlers, under the sight of Israeli security forces to enter the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and recite Talmudic prayers. - Considering this as a provocative act that would inflame feelings and lead to violence and urging the international community to exert influence to ensure free access to Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem - Affirming support for the historic guardianship of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn al-Hussein of the Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem. - Appreciating the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s initiative naming the 29 Arab Summit held in Saudi Arabia as the "Quds Summit" in recognition of the spiritual and religious status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine. - Appreciating the efforts of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of the Kingdom of Morocco, Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee, in protecting the Holy City of Jerusalem and its holy sites and supporting the steadfastness of Jerusalemites. - Appreciating the efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt and thanking it for easing conditions inside the Gaza Strip. - Entrusting the General Secretariat of the Arab League with the preparation of an integrated plan that includes appropriate means and methods to counter the decision of the United States of America or any other State that recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the occupying force, or transfer their embassies to it. - Asking the Arab Ministerial Delegation of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee, established by decision No. 8221 of 9/12/2017, to continue contacts and efforts in this regard, and requesting the Secretary General of the Arab League to work towards implementing this resolution, and keeping the Arab League session open, if necessary, to assess the situation and act accordingly.