The Final Declaration issued by The Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 25th Extraordinary Conference - Al Qods Session - on " The Israeli Gross Violation of the Blessed Al Aqsa Mosque premises ".
The speakers of the Arab Parliaments and their representatives (thenceforth referred to as the A IPU or as « the members»), gathering in the framework of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 25th Extraordinary Conference, held on July 27th, 2007in Rabat, Capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, under the Chairmanship of Mr. El Habib El Malki, President of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, and President of the Moroccan House of Representatives,
Following the dramatic escalation of the measures and repressive acts perpetrated by the occupation authorities against the Palestinian People’s rights, particularly at Al Aqsa Mosque,
- Having deplorably followed the Israeli acts of repression and murder perpetrated against the Palestinian People who is struggling for its legitimate rights,
- Recalling their duty to defend Al Qods Al Sahrif, and show their solidarity with the Palestinian People in the face of the Israeli racist and repressive acts and measures; and siding with the Palestinian People’s legitimate and historical struggle for its independence and for the establishment of its independent state whose capital shall be Al Qods Al Sahrif, in addition to the Palestinian Refugees’ right of return,
- After having discussed the critical circumstances through which the Palestinian cause is going, in an agitated regional context, and which only the Israeli government is taking advantage of to implement its repressive colonization scheme,
- On the basis of their political duty as representatives of their peoples and spokespersons of their respective countries’ public opinions, the A IPU members:
1. Refuse and strongly condemn the measures which have been, or might be, taken by the Israeli occupation authorities at Al Aqsa Mosque and its vicinity and in the whole city of Al Qods Al Sharif, including attempts at fixing or implementing technical, security and monitoring devices, aiming at hindering access to Al Aqsa Mosque. The A IUP members consider that those acts, coming from the occupation authorities, are both aggressive and provocative, and represent a new cycle in the process of repression and suppression of the Palestinian People’s rights. The members assert that these measures, together with the assassination and repressive acts, perpetrated against the Palestinian people are but an intensification of Israel’s violation of the most basic human rights, perpetrated – in the past and in the present – against the Palestinian People, and a confirmation of the real face of occupation.
2. Refuse and strongly condemn all Israeli measures which aim at both altering the features and landmarks of the Holy City, and at obliterating its Arab, Islamic and Christian identity. The members also refuse and condemn the confiscation of Palestinian properties which include houses, neighborhoods, plantations, in addition to some historical and urban symbols, besides geographical features,
3. Consider that the latest Israeli measures taken at Al Qods represent a set of policies which intend to push the whole region into a religious war, and to confiscate the right and the freedom of religious worship which is considered as a fundamental human right;
4. The participants in the extraordinary session demand that the United Nations and the UNESCO take full responsibility for the protection of Palestine’s urban heritage, and historical monuments, at the head of which comes Al Aqsa Mosque. They also demand the protection of these monuments and sites against any alteration or destruction attempts, and call for the enforcement of the international charters and conventions for the protection of the Human heritage in the times of occupation and war, particularly the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their two additional protocols relating to the protection of historical cultural and religious monuments.
5. The participants in the Extraordinary Session commend and value the efforts made by His Majesty Mohammed VI, Chairperson of Al Qods Committee, for: the defense of Al Qods Al Sharif, the protection of its monuments and features, the safeguard of its Arab character, the support of its inhabitants’ steadfastness in the face of occupation, the improvement of the quality of education and health services provided to them; the support provided for the monument restoration and for the Paletinians’ social welfare, all secured through Bait Mal Al Qods and Al Qods Funds. The participants also praise the efforts and the contacts made by the Custodian of the Holy places, King Salman Ibn AbdulAziz, for the sake of Al Qods, not to forget the efforts made by His Majesty King Abdulah II, the legal Guardian of the Holy Sites at Al Qods Al Sharif.
6. Affirm that the Palestinian cause transcends all other causes, hence the call for action to mobilize its support internationally;
7.Call for common action with the Arab governments and civil society organizations in order to stake materially the Palestinian martyrs’ families, and those whose houses had been demolished. To that effect the participants call for the creation of a Parliamentary Funds dedicated to Al Aqsa Mosque, and to Al Qods Al Sahrif.
8. Appoint the Committee to support the Steadfastness of the Palestinian People, emanating from the A IPU’s 23rd session chaired by Mr. Marzouk Al Ghanem, the Speaker of the Kuwait National Assembly, in addition to the Parliament Speakers of Morocco, Jordan, Palestine and Algeria to go through touring visits and meet many state leaders and parliament speakers in order to bring up the issue of the Israeli permanent violations of Christian and Muslim religious sites and shrines in Palestine.
9. The participants in the 25th session shall commit themselves to further the necessary contacts with the multilateral parliamentary organizations and the national parliaments, in order to put pressure on the Israeli government: to end its arbitrary and illegal actions against Al Aqsa Mosque, Al Qods and all the other occupied territories; to lift the embargo imposed on the Palestinian people, and to sit down at the negotiation table, under the auspices of the United Nations, to put an end to the Israeli occupation of the Arab territories in the very near future according to a clear agenda.
10. The participants greet the Palestinian people’s steadfastness, and the inhabitants, men and women, stationed at Bayt Al Maqdis, particularly those, bravely and faithfully, protecting and defending, the first direction of Muslim prayers, and the ascension premise for Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). The participants pray for God’s mercy upon the souls of Al Aqsa martyrs, for the healing of the wounded, and for the freedom of the imprisoned. They also appraise the increasing support shown at the Arab, Islamic and international levels, all mobilized in favor of the Palestinian people and in aid of Al Aqsa Al Moubarak.
11. The participants categorically refuse all Israeli proposals calling for the Greater Al Qods, just as they reject any other proposals to solve Al Qods issue on the basis of its present state as being subject to international tutelage. On the other hand, they emphasize that Al Qods, the capital of the State of Palestine, shall be Eastern Al Qods, as recognized, with its existing borders, prior to June 5th, 1967 ( the date of israeli occupation) as stipulated by resolution 242, resolution 2334,and tens of other resolutions which consider the Eastern part of the Holy City as part of the Palestinian occupied territories. They demand the opening of all the gates of Al Aqsa Al Moubarak, and reject the prior determination of the ages of worshippers, wishing to get into the Mosque. The participants also demand the restoration of the former realities, prior to July 14th.
12. The participants assert that Al Qods with its Al Aqsa Mosque, and all its other holy places like churches, mosques, and heritage sites, are the Palestinian People’s exclusive property, and that the City has been built with the people’s civilization, efforts and riches as of its inception, which is being confirmed by the regulations, resolutions and all the organizations concerned, UNESCO included.
13. They call the Inter-Parliamentary Union to condemn and castigate the israeli Knesset’s promulgation of discriminatory and racist laws, particularly the new draft law that has been approved by the Knesset under the name of «Unified Al Qods », which constitutes a clear violation of relevant international resolution, and an obvious set of hindrances to the instauration of peace in the region. The participants also urge the Arab parliaments to issue draft resolutions on the violations perpetrated by Israeli occupation in Palestine, and submit these draft resolutions to the next session of the Inter Parliamentary Union;
14. Call for the exercise of more pressure on Israel for the liberation of the Palestinian prisoners, especially those who have been arrested and kidnapped during the latest popular upheaval in defense of Al Aqsa;
15. Express their pride in all aspects of solidarity and harmonious unity which had taken shape in the participation of the Christian clergy and churches, and in the opening the latter’s doors for the Muezzins in order to pray within those holy premises. They also take pride in the intensification of all actions in defense of Al Aqsa Mosque and in facing occupation;
16. Express their appreciation and gratitude to the Moroccan Monarch, People, Parliament and Government for having hosted this extraordinary session of the Union, and for providing the session with all conditions of success, which confirms and adds to the firm and central role played by the Kingdom, whose Monarch, His Majesty Mohammed VI, is chairing Al Qods Committee in defense of the Holy City and in support of its people’s steadfastness.
Done in Rabat on July 27th, 2017