King urges world to shoulder responsibility in protecting Palestinians

AMMAN – His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday urged the international community to uphold its responsibilities in protecting the Palestinian people and enabling them to gain their rights and end occupation, injustice, and despair.

In his speech at the extraordinary summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, Turkey, the King said that the sole path to peace is through ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution.

He stressed that the region will never enjoy comprehensive peace unless the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is resolved according to international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Following is the full text of the speech:

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate,

Prayers and peace be upon the Arab Hashemite Prophet Mohammad,

Your Majesties, Highnesses, Excellencies,

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

First, may the souls of our martyrs in Palestine rest in peace.

Jerusalem is our First Qibla. Jerusalem is Amman’s twin. Jerusalem is the key to peace and harmony. And the sole path to peace is through ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution.

Let me stress, once again, that our region will never enjoy comprehensive peace unless the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is resolved according to international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.

My brothers,

Nearly five months ago, we met to counter the dangerous implications of the United States’ decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. And here we are today, witnessing the very implications we had warned against—the undermining of the foundations of peace and stability, the dominance of unilateralism, and a deepening state of despair that breeds violence.

Throughout that period, Jordan worked in coordination with brothers and friends to limit the ramifications of this decision. Our steadfast position continues to affirm that East Jerusalem is occupied territory and that it is a final status issue whose future is decided through direct negotiations, in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

Here, we must also emphasise the need for immediate measures by brotherly Arab and Muslim countries to support the perseverance of Palestinians and empower them economically, while countering attempts to Judaise Jerusalem and alter its Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity.

My brothers,

The violence, aggression, and violations perpetrated by Israel against the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza and elsewhere in the Palestinian Territories must stop. The international community must uphold its responsibilities before history; peoples of the world and all people of conscience must uphold their responsibilities in protecting the Palestinian people and enabling them to gain their rights and end occupation, injustice, and despair.

As I have affirmed at the latest Arab Summit, the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem is a historical duty and responsibility that we are proud to carry. We will persevere in upholding this responsibility, in coordination with our brothers at the Palestinian National Authority and with your support. And we will continue to strengthen the resolve of Jerusalemites and counter any attempts to impose new facts on the ground or change the historical and legal status quo.

We genuinely seek peace, and everyone is called upon to end the prevalent anguish and frustration by advancing and achieving a peace that fulfils the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people—a peace where the holy city of Jerusalem stands as a symbol of harmony among the followers of the monotheistic faiths, not a cause for conflict.

In closing, I thank my brother and friend, His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for his efforts and for convening this Summit.

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

###