Banjul (APS) – The 57 states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), meeting at a summit in Banjul, called on Sunday the international community to “take measures to put an end to the crime of genocide committed by Israeli occupation army against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
The Banjul Summit called for an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire and a cessation of “total aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
In the Banjul Declaration adopted at the end of the proceedings, the heads of state also asked the international community to implement the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice against the Jewish state.
The OIC reaffirmed its solidarity with the Palestinians in the face of “the humanitarian catastrophe which is hitting the Gaza Strip and its population” because of “Israeli aggression (…), without respect for the most fundamental moral and humanitarian values (…)”.
The Islamic organization emphasizes that “all efforts must be made to accelerate the delivery of all humanitarian aid and reject any attempt to displace the Palestinian people from their lands.”
OIC Heads of State reiterated their ”strong support” for the Palestinian people in ”their legitimate struggle to obtain their inalienable rights,” including their right to a sovereign state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as capital.
They called on the international community to force Israel, described as the “occupying power”, to “respect international law and United Nations resolutions and to put an end to its illegal occupation, colonization and apartheid in the Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.
The Summit called for taking ”all measures to safeguard the Islamic identity of Al-Quds Al-Sharif against illegal measures and policies as well as attempts to Judaize the occupier (…)”.
The meeting urged Palestinians to “unite in their struggle to achieve their goals, under the banner of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”
The heads of state praised “the role of UNRWA” (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East) and invited the international community to continue to help it ”fulfil its historic mandate and responsibilities”.
They paid tribute to “the solidarity of African peoples and governments with the struggle of the Palestinian people (…)”.
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