DECISION ON THE SITUATION IN PALESTINE
AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Doc: EX.CL/708(XX)
The Assembly,
TAKES NOTE of the Report on the Situation in Palestine and the Middle East; and RECALLS all resolutions and decisions of the Organization of African Unity/ African Union on the Situation in Palestine and to achieve lasting peace and security in the Middle East;
REAFFIRMS its full support to the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to end the Israeli occupation in order to establish their independent state, under the leadership of the PLO, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people;
ALSO REAFFIRMS its support for the peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict in accordance with the principles of international law and all relevant United Nations resolutions to ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian State on the borders of June 1967, with Al-quds Al-sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital;
FURTHER REAFFIRMS its support for the Palestinians' efforts obtain the full membership for the State of Palestine in the United Nations and its specialized agencies;
WELCOMES the acceptance of Palestine as a full member of the Organization of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and CONSIDERS it as an important step in the right direction and to entrench the rights of the Palestinian people, to achieve their sovereignty over their territory and homeland through the accession of their State to the United Nations and its organizations;
REITERATES its full support for the efforts made by the President of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Chairman of the State of Palestine, President Mahmoud Abbas, aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace at the Middle East and SUPPORTS the efforts of Palestinian and Arab leaders in achieving reconciliation in the Question of Palestine;
CONDEMNS all Israeli actions related to changing the cultural landmarks and historic city of Jerusalem, through the policy Judaization, by demolition of houses and the expulsion and destruction of historic monuments of Islamic and Christian sanctities, the construction of a “Gate Maghareba” Bridge, the apartheid wall and the expansion of illegal settlements in and around occupied East Jerusalem;
HOLDS Israel responsible for the faltering peace process and negotiations, and CONDEMNS the continuation of expansion of settlements that the United
Nations considers as void and illegal, imposed on the Palestinian territories since the fifth of June 1967 and a major obstacle in the way of peace;
CALLS ON the United Nations and the Quartet to take immediate action and ALSO CALLS ON the Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities and to maximize its pressure on Israel to halt the settlement immediately. FURTHER CALLS FOR commitment to the peace process and negotiations avenue, to maintain security, peace and stability and to achieve a just comprehensive lasting peace in the region based on the principle of two-state solution according to the borders of June 4, 1967. FINALLY CALLS FOR the application of the provisions of the relevant international laws and previous Security Council resolutions in this regard;
CONDEMNS Israeli inhuman practices against Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and EXPRESSES its deep concern at the deteriorating humanitarian and economic situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially Gaza Strip, as a result of the blockade and Israeli illegal activities, and demands respect for human rights and international humanitarian laws, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention;
CALLS ON Israel to abide by the decision of the United Nations and to sign the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, in order to make the Middle East a zone free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction;
CONFIRMS that just, comprehensive and lasting peace can be achieved only through full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Arab and Palestinian territories to the lines of June 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights and Lebanese territories;
REQUESTS the Commission to take appropriate steps to revive the African Committee on the Question of Palestine;
ALSO REQUESTS Member States that have not yet done so, to recognize the State of Palestine.