PAKISTAN
PERMANENT MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
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STATEMENT BY II.E. AMBASSADOR MUNIR AKRAM PERMANENT REPRESENTATIYE OF PAKISTAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS AS CHAIR OF THE OIC GROTIP IN NEW YORI( TO MARK 40 YEARS OF OCCUPATION BY ISRAEL OF THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, INCLUDING EAST JERUSALEM

New York, 07 June 2007

Statement by H.E. Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, as Chair of the OIC Group in New York, to mark 40 years of occupation by Israel of the Palestinian Tenitory, including East Jerusalem (7fr June 2007)

Excellencies, It is indeed a very unforrunate occasionthat we mark today, and our gloom is intensified by the fac.. that 40 years after the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem,our quest for peace in the holy land remains an elusive one. Not only does this signal a gross failure of the Security Council to fulfill its primary Charter responsibilify to maintain peace and securify, but is also a collective failure of the Member Statesof the United Nations to bring to a just conclusion, the most seriouspolitical dispute in modem times. 2. While the tragedy of Palestineis at the heart of Middle East dispute; the fate of East Jerusalemtransforms this into a powerful political and emotional issuefor millions of people across the world, specially the Islamic world. Without a just settlementof East Jerusalem- which must be the capital of an independentand sovereignPalestinian State- there can be no durable peacein the Middle East. Excellencies, 3. Jerusalem is a holy place and a precious treasure for the three monotheistic religions - Islam, Christianiry and Judaism.It is home to the First and SecondTemples and the Ark of the Covenant, the city where Jesus Christ lived, preached and was resurrected, first Qibla of Islam and the site of the ascensionof Prophet Muhammad the (PBUH). It was the criminal arson perpetrated on 2l August 1969 againsrthe day AlAqsa which led to creation of the OIC. 4. Since the IIN took up the question of Palestinein 1947,tt designatedJerusalem 'corpus as separatum'. Since its occupation in 1967, the Security Council has adopted 16 resolutions, in particular resolution 465 (1930), which categorically declared that measures and arrangements taken by Israel which aim at changing the legal status, demographic composition and chara&er of the Holy Cify of Jerusalem - Al-Quds A1Sharif - are null and void and without any legal validity whatsoever.It is unfortunate that all these General Assembly and Security Council resolutions continue to be flouted, as evident from the rllegal excavation underway adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. We are distressed that, aheady the historic road connecting the Bab-alMaghariba with the AI-Aqsa Compound has been demolished, in addition to two rooms adjacentto the Al Buraq Wall. The excavation work undermines the foundations of Al-Aqsa and could threaten it with collapse. 5. We urge the Israeli Govemment to put an end to the illegal settlementactivity and work on the separationbarrier and halt all work near the Al-Asqa Mosque.

2 Excellencies, The pain and anguishof the Palestinians 6. living in East Jerusalemis symptomatic of the larger problem of occupation of the Palestinian Territories and Arab Lands. What ever one's political perspective, is clear that peacein the Middle East can 7. it only be attained by an Israeli withdrawal from all Arab Lands, including the Palestinian Territories and East Jerusalemas well as the Syrian Golan Heights, and the reahzatron of the 'fwo state solution'. Unforrunately, today we see agarnan upsurge of violence in the Middle East. Efforts to evolve a just, fair and comprehensivesolution to the IsraeliPalestinian conflict an the related disputes in the Middle East, have become more difficult in the atmosphere of revived tensions in the region. The most urgent task is to halt the repressionand violence tn Gaza and the West 8. Bank. While efforts to securethe releaseof the Israeli soldier are still ongoing, Israel must also release the hundreds of Palestinians it holds, including the Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians.We call on Israel to halt and reverseits settlementsin the West Bank, to stop the erection of the separationwall, to releasethe Customs duties and VAT due to the Palestinians and to end the economic and humanitarian blockade againstthem. We urge the early resumption of peacetalks. 9. The structure of a durable peace in the Holy Land is already well known, the vision of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side within secure and recognizedborders. To realize this vision, the intemational community must ensurethe fulI implementation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, including SecurityCouncil resolutions242 (1967),338 (1973),1397(2002) and 1515 (2003) and General Assembly resolution 194. The revived Arab PeaceInitiative and the Quartet's Roadmap provide a solid basisfor the promotion of a just and lasting settlement. 10. To this end, the Islamabad Declaration and final Communiqu6 adopted at the 34h Sessionof the Islamic Conferenceof Foreign Ministers (ICFM), which was held in Islamabad, on May 15-17,2007welcomed the renewal of the Arab PeaceInitiative and the efforts of the President of Pakistan and solemnly resolved to continue relentless efforts for the causeof peacein the Middle East. Excellencies, 11. As we mark the 40ft anniversaryof the illegal occupation of East Jerusalem,with its continuing tragic consequences, me express,on behalf of the OIC Group in New let York, our solidariry with our Palestinian brothers and our strong support for their endeavors to reach a comprehensive,just and lasting solution that would end their tragedy and despair and reahze their legitimate aspiration for peace and a sovereign Stateof Palestine.

I thank you