BAMAKO, REPUBLIC OF MALI,
24 RABI AL THANI 1438
23 JANUARY 2017
As part of the 12th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States held in Bamako, Republic of Mali, the Standing Committee on Palestine held its 7th meeting on Monday January 23, 2017.
1. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Deputy Amadou Thiam from the National Assembly of the Republic of IMali, on behalf of the Speaker of the National Assembly, and in the presence of the members of the Committee on Palestine, mentioned below :
- Republic of Turkey
- Republic of Sudan
- Republic of Senegal
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Kingdom of Morocco
- Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
- Republic of Iraq
- Islamic Republic of Islamic Republic of Iran
- Republic of Indonesia
- Republic of Guinea
- Republic of Cameroon
- Republic of Burkina Faso
- Kingdom of Bahrain
- People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
- State of Palestine.
2. Absent from the meeting :
- State of the United Arab Emirates
- Republic of Chad.
3. The Chairman welcomed all the participants in the meeting, expressing the wish that discussions will serve the interest of the Palestinian Cause, being the central cause of the Islamic World. He reviewed the items of the agenda adopted after having added an item on the revival of Al-Quds Fund, based on the proposal of one of the delegations.
4. In his opening address, H.E. Pr. Dr. Mahmud Erol Kilic, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States, stated that the holding of the three previous meetings of the Committee on Palestine in Istanbul, Baghdad and Bamako, respectively, bears witness to the fact that the Palestinian Cause is always present in the heart of the Islamic World throughout its vast geographic space. He also pointed to the fact that the Israeli government is thwarting all international efforts to reach a fair solution to the Palestinian Cause, including in the recently held Paris Conference. He called on the Palestinians to stand united, backed up by the solidarity of Islamic peoples, in order to stand against the plan to move the US embassy to the city of Al-Quds.
5. H.E. Radhouane Al-Akhras, member of the Palestine National Council, reviewed the situation in Palestine, regretting not having brought any good news about what is taking place in occupied Palestine. He drew attention to the fact that Israel has reneged on the OSLO Accord by virtue of which 20 percent of the total area of Palestine is supposed to belong to the Palestinians, and has even confiscated 80 percent of these territories, so that the Palestinians now possess, in Palestine, only the lands on which their houses are built.
With regard to the Palestinian reconciliation, the Palestinian Deputy considered that the division from which Palestine has suffered over the past decade was nothing but an Israeli-American conspiracy organized as a first trigger for all that has happened in the Middle-East during this period. The Palestinian reconciliation, he added, is steadily moving forward, as Palestinians have no other path but to stand together, reconciled and united, in the face of the brutality of the Israeli occupation and its transgression of the national rights of the Palestinian people. He considered that the transfer of the US embassy to Al-Quds represents a declaration of war against both the Arab and the Islamic Nations. This plan must, therefore, be countered. He also appealed to the Islamic States that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to take such a step.
6. Interventions by Committee members Exhaustive interventions were offered by the representatives of the parliaments of Indonesia, Palestine, Guinea, Algeria, Senegal, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Morocco, Turkey, Iran, Jordan, and Bahrain. These interventions, which covered all the items of the agenda, were characterized by vitality, reflecting a strong political will and determination to continue supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause.
The meeting came out with the following recommendations:
6.1 Asserting the centrality of the Cause of Palestine for both the Arab and Islamic Nations;
6.2 Appealing to the Islamic States that have not recognized the State of Palestine yet to take such a step;
6.3 Stressing the importance of the Palestinian national reconciliation, being a cornerstone for recovering the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people. Palestinians should not only agree on reconciliation, but also implement what has been agreed on;
6.4 Countering the attempt to move the US embassy to Al-Quds through the unity of the Palestinian people, supported by the practical and effective solidarity of the Islamic peoples;
6.5 Following up the execution of Security Council Resolution 2334 rejecting the Israeli settlement in the occupied territories, and demanding that execution be based on a precise time schedule;
6.6 Supporting the steadfast and resistant Palestinian people in the face of the persistent Israeli aggression, by all available—moral and material—means;
6.7 Establishing education curricula that familiarize the younger generations with the Cause of Palestine, and keep its flame alive in their consciences;
6.8 Setting up standing committees on Palestine in the parliaments of Islamic States;
6.9 Reviving Al-Quds Fund in order to support the steadfast inhabitants of Al-Quds;
6.10 Providing, insofar as possible, financial support to the Palestinian people, however modest it may be.