King Mohammed VI addressed a speech to the participants in the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic Summit, which is being held today, Saturday, in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The following is the full text of the royal speech, which was read by the Prime Minister, Aziz Akhannouch:
“Praise be to God, and may blessings and peace be upon our Lord, the Messenger of God, his family, and his companions.
My esteemed brother, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,
My dearest brother, His Royal Highness, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister,
Your Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies,
Your Excellencies and Excellencies,
His Excellency the Secretary General of the League of Arab States,
His Excellency the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,
This extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit, called for by the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is being held in a context fraught with tension and the continuation of the armed confrontations taking place in the Gaza Strip, and the thousands of deaths and injuries it has left among civilians, as well as sabotage, destruction and a comprehensive siege, in blatant violation of international laws and human values. .
Despite some voices of wisdom calling for de-escalation and calm, Israeli artillery and missiles are still targeting defenseless civilians, including children, women, and the elderly, and have not left a place of worship, a hospital, or a camp without completely or partially destroying it.
We have called, based on our commitment to peace, and in our capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, for the awakening of the human conscience to stop the killing of human souls honored by God Almighty, and to move collectively, each from his position, to achieve four urgent priorities:
* First: An urgent and tangible reduction of escalation and a cessation of military attacks leading to a permanent and monitorable ceasefire.
* Second: Ensuring the protection of civilians and not targeting them, in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law,
* Third: Allowing the smooth delivery of humanitarian aid in sufficient quantities to the residents of Gaza.
* Fourth: Establishing a political horizon for the Palestinian issue, which is sufficient to revive the internationally agreed upon two-state solution.
Your Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies;
We are facing an unprecedented crisis, made more complex by Israel’s persistence in its blatant aggression against defenseless civilians, and compounded by the silence of the international community and the active powers’ neglect of the humanitarian catastrophe that the residents of the Gaza Strip are experiencing.
Therefore, we must not allow the future of the region and the future of its people to be left in the hands of bidders, as the future of the region cannot tolerate empty bidding or narrow agendas.
We must also deal with this crucial circumstance from the standpoint of historical responsibility, which requires us to start from some self-evident assumptions:
* There is no alternative to real peace in the region, which guarantees the Palestinians their legitimate rights, within the framework of the two-state solution.
* There is no alternative to an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
* There is no alternative to strengthening the Palestinian Authority, led by my brother, President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen;
* There is no alternative to establishing mechanisms for sustainable regional security, based on respect for international law and recognized international references.
Your Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies;
Overcoming this crisis and avoiding its recurrence will only be achieved by stopping the attacks on Al-Quds Al-Sharif and ending the provocations that hurt the feelings of more than a billion Muslims.
Therefore, in my capacity as Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee, I was always keen to draw attention to the seriousness of these Israeli practices and provocations, and their dire consequences for the security and stability of the entire region.
In parallel, we are working on the ground, through the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency, to protect the Holy City and preserve its historical and legal status and its religious sanctities.
As stated in the “Jerusalem Call” that we signed with His Holiness Pope Francis, it is everyone’s duty to preserve the Holy City of Jerusalem, as it is a common heritage of humanity and a center for the values of mutual respect.
Whoever thinks that the logic of force can change this reality and destroy the deep-rooted identity is wrong. We will always confront it, based on our presidency of the Jerusalem Committee, and in coordination with our brother, His Majesty King Abdullah II, the custodian of the Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem.
Your Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies;
We are facing a turning point, which requires everyone to be firm and responsible, to stop the Israeli attacks, and requires the logic of reason and wisdom to prevail, to establish a just and lasting peace in the region, for the sake of security and stability for all the peoples of the region.
Peace be upon you and the mercy of God be upon you “.