High-Level Conference on Protection, Support of Al Quds: HM the King Pushes for Global Alliance to Protect City of Peace

His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, called for a global alliance of all forces committed to pacifism and the values of tolerance and coexistence, in order to protect the City of Peace and preserve its cultural heritage common to all humanity.

In a message addressed, Sunday, to participants in a high-level conference on the protection and support of Al-Quds City, held in Cairo, the Sovereign stressed that in accordance with the Appeal launched under His impetus during the International Conference on Al-Quds, in 2009, in Rabat, “We call once again for a global alliance of all living forces committed to peace and to the values of tolerance and coexistence, in order to protect the City of Peace and preserve its cultural heritage common to all humanity.”

Highlighting the special place that the Arab and Muslim peoples reserve in their hearts to the city of Al-Quds, HM the King said in this message, which was read by the head of government Aziz Akhannouch, that the concern to defend this city should be neither “momentary” nor “circumstantial.” Rather, “it should involve effective diplomatic actions and actual work on the ground, inside the Holy City.”

“The tangible field work carried out under my personal supervision for more than 25 years by the Bayt Mal al-Quds al-Sharif Agency, which is the operational branch of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s al-Quds Committee, aims to support the Holy City and preserve its cultural specificity,” the Sovereign continued, noting that the Agency carries out, to this end, social and developmental projects for all sections of Al-Quds society.

The Agency has been able to implement more than 200 projects, at an estimated cost of about $65 million. Insured at 100% by Morocco in the budgetary heading “State Donations”, the financing of these activities is covered by about 70% of donations from institutions and individuals, said HM the King.

In this regard, the Sovereign stressed the need to pool Arab and Islamic efforts, with a view to increasing involvement in the dynamics of protection and support for the city of Al Quds Asharif.

HM the King, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, reaffirmed, on this occasion, the constant commitment of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Palestinian cause in general and the issue of Al-Quds in particular.

“Indeed, the Palestinian cause is just as important to me as my country’s foremost national cause. As it has been pointed out on various occasions, it is also one of the enduring pillars of our foreign policy,” the Sovereign maintained.

With its unwavering commitment, Morocco remains firmly convinced that the Palestinian cause is “a fundamentally political issue and, as such, it is the keystone for a lasting and comprehensive settlement that will bring peace and stability to the Middle East region,” HM the King said, noting that within the framework of international legality and in accordance with the principle of the Two-State Solution agreed by the international community, it is important to achieve a just settlement of the Palestinian issue.

The Sovereign emphasized that it is ultimately a matter of moving towards a breakthrough in the political situation, which could open up optimistic prospects for peace, security and prosperity in the region.

To do this, it is important to respect the values of living together and to bear in mind that cultural, religious and doctrinal differences are a source of enrichment for the whole society, a vector of unity and in no way a factor of division, said HM the King, recalling that it is in this spirit that was developed “the Al-Quds Appeal” that “We signed with His Holiness Pope Francis, in Rabat, on March 30, 2019.

“In that Appeal, we stressed that it was “important to preserve the Holy City of Jerusalem / Al-Quds Acharif as the common patrimony of humanity and especially the followers of the three monotheistic religions, as a place of encounter and as a symbol of peaceful coexistence, where mutual respect and dialogue can be cultivated,” the Sovereign wrote in His message.

HM the King also said that the Kingdom of Morocco, convinced that peace in the Middle East remains an essential strategic option, will continue its efforts, making the most of its resources and its privileged relations with all parties and international powers.

It will thus contribute to any international effort aimed at reviving the process of dialogue and negotiations, considered as the only way to end this conflict and for security, stability and prosperity to prevail in the Middle East, he stressed.

HM the King did not fail, on this occasion, to reaffirm His “full support for the Palestinian National Authority, under the leadership of my brother, His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas, and for the efforts it is making to achieve the aspirations of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, as well as their quest for freedom, independence, unity and prosperity.”

Highlighting the importance of this high-level conference and the difficult context in which it is held, HM the King called for a collective mobilization to protect the Holy City of Al-Quds against violations that seek to erase the uniqueness of its civilizational character, to alter its legal status, the protection of which is however the subject of a clear commitment in related Security Council resolutions.

“The unilateral measures designed to create illegitimate facts on the ground in al-Quds and its surroundings represent a threat to the city’s legal status, its demographic make-up, and its historical character, which is rooted in a diversity of cultures and faiths,” HM the King pointed out, He said that the systematic actions, carried out in defiance of international law and UN resolutions, do not allow the establishment of a climate of trust and undermine the possibility of achieving a lasting settlement based on the existence of two states living side by side in peace and security.

The difficult situation of the Holy City of Al-Quds cannot be considered separately from the general context of the evolution of the Palestinian question, the Sovereign added, noting that extremists on both sides are taking advantage of the stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and the persistent stalemate in the peace process to stir up conflicts, fuel religious sensitivities and cause the rise of tensions in the City of Al-Quds.

From a fundamentally political dispute, this conflict risks turning into a real religious confrontation, with potentially disastrous consequences for the whole region, said HM the King, affirming that to effectively preserve the city of Al-Quds from attempts to alter its history and legal status, “intentions as well as actions must be sincere and move away from empty rhetoric, idle overbidding and narrow calculations

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