NEW YORK: Ƶ yesterday reiterated its support for the Palestinian demand to establish an independent state within the borders of June 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital. It also called for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the occupied Arab territories and stop its attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque.
This came in a speech delivered by Abdullah Almoalimi, Ƶ's permanent representative to the United Nations last night before the Security Council in an open debate on the Middle East situation.
He criticized the United Nations for ignoring Israel’s continuous occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories, its aggression on religious sanctities and violations of international law.
“The Palestinians are still hopeful of the support of the international community to establish a free and independent state within the borders of June 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital,” the Saudi official told the conference.
Almoalimi expressed the Kingdom’s concern on Israeli aggression against Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. “Ƶ, which is responsible for Islamic sanctities and care for the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah, views with deep concern Israel's continuing assault on Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa in particular and the persistent attempts to destroy, burn and desecrate the mosque and undermine its foundations,” he said.
Almoalimi described Israel’s settlement expansion plan in occupied Palestinian territories as a cancer threatening the two-state solution. “It’s a clear violation of international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the occupation authorities to take any action that could lead to changing the geographic and demographic character of the occupied territories,” he said.
He said Ƶ believes that top priority should be given to solving the Palestinian issue and reaffirms its full support for the request of Palestine for a full membership in the United Nations and affiliated organizations.
“The Kingdom looks forward to the conference to be held in Helsinki before the end of this year on making the Middle East a zone free of nuclear weapons and all weapons of mass destruction,” the Saudi official said.
Almoalimi highlighted the tragic situation in Syria as a result of the regime's acts of arrogance against its people and its insistence on considering its citizens as enemies who should be crushed with showers of bullets, artillery shells, aircraft and helicopters.
He added that the Syrian regime's aggression has gone beyond its country's borders and is threatening the security of the entire region depending on military support and political cover granted to it by some major countries.
He stressed the Kingdom's support for endeavors undertaken by the Arab-UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and said that it believes that the success of his mission requires focusing on achieving peaceful transition of power.
“The Syrian regime must realize that the hour of departure has arrived and that it is not possible for it to rule by killing innocent people and that the international community must intensify its support for the Syrian people by all possible means,” he said.
He renewed the Kingdom's call for the need to ascertain the crimes against humanity committed by the regime and its cronies and hold responsible all those involved in these practices and bring them to justice.
