33rd Arab Summit: HM the King Reaffirms Firm Determination to Keep Palestinian Cause at Core of Efforts to Achieve Just, Lasting Peace in Middle East

His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, reaffirmed on Thursday His firm support for the brotherly Palestinian people to regain their legitimate rights and establish their independent, sovereign state, as well as His firm determination to make sure the Palestinian issue remains at the core of efforts to establish a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. “I wish to reiterate our firm support for our Palestinian brothers and sisters with a view to helping them regain their legitimate rights through the establishment of their independent, sovereign state on June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the basis of the two-state solution,” stressed His Majesty the King in a speech to the 33rd Summit of the League of the Arab States which kicked off in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. The difficult circumstances affecting the Palestinian question today as a result of the blatant Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip “only enhance our determination to make sure the Palestinian issue remains at the core of efforts to establish a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” underlined the Sovereign. “The current reprisals in the Gaza Strip have revealed grave violations that are at odds with the provisions of international law and international humanitarian law,” said His Majesty the King in His speech, read out by Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, reiterating His strong condemnation of the killing of innocent people.  The Sovereign also stressed that imposing a new reality in the Gaza Strip and attempting to forcibly displace Palestinians are unacceptable acts, as they would only aggravate the situation and further fuel violence and instability. Recalling that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian territories and of the unified Palestinian state, His Majesty the King insisted on the need to accelerate the steady provision of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in the entire Gaza Strip, and to make sure defenceless civilians are better protected. HM the King also said: “As Chairman of the al-Quds Committee, and working in close coordination with my brother, His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, I shall continue to exert all possible efforts to preserve the legal, historical and cultural status of the Holy City.” In this respect, the Sovereign expressed His willingness to continue, through the field work carried out by the Bayt Mal al-Quds Agency, which is the executive arm of the al-Quds Committee, the implementation of the concrete plans and projects, aimed at preserving the cultural identity of the Holy City, improving the social and living conditions of its inhabitants, and supporting their steadfastness as well as their continued presence in the Holy City. As for the painful and unfortunate conditions suffered by some sister Arab nations, His Majesty the King affirmed that the Kingdom of Morocco hopes that the situation will soon stabilize in these countries, and that dialogue and peaceful initiatives will prevail, instead of the logic of force or military solutions, thereby contributing to practical, effective and sustainable settlements.