Participants in colloquy on Jerusalem back Palestinian statehood
Regional-Palestine, Politics, 2/26/1999

The participants in the international colloquy on "the future of Arab Jerusalem" held in Casablanca have voiced total support for the proclamation of the state of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital and rejected any alternative or manipulation to the detriment of the future of the holy city.

Opened by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, the colloquy, held in Casablanca this February 23-25, adopted a final statement and a set of recommendations condemning the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and denouncing the transfer of embassies, missions or representation to the city.

The participants utterly rejected the internationalization of the holy city or its putting under whatever tutorship after May 4, the date marking the end of the transition period stipulated in the Oslo accords, and the proclamation of the State of Palestine.

The participants likewise denounced any Judaization attempts by Israel and called for the dismantling of Israeli settlements, an immediate halt to expropriation of lands and the withdrawal of identity cards from the Palestinians, segregation, closure of Palestinian territories and expulsion of Palestinian citizens.

The statement said the most important means to counter attempts to Judaize Jerusalem lie in bolstering the resolve of the Palestinian inhabitants and providing all means to prevent their forced emigration.

Palestinian officials said the lack of jobs and housing, coupled with Israeli measures to isolate Jerusalem from other Palestinian territories, have forced thousands of the city's Arab inhabitants to leave.

According to Faisal Al-Husseini, the Palestinian official in charge of the Jerusalem portfolio, the city needs at least $30 million in annual assistance to create jobs and deal with the acute housing shortage.

The participants recommended the promotion of tourism which generates income for the Palestinians, the upgrading of the hotel industry, the settlement of the unemployment problem, the twinning of holy Jerusalem with other cities in the Arab and Islamic world or in other countries, and the reactivation of the role of Jerusalem as a trade crossroads between all Palestinian cities.

The participants called for the promotion of small and medium industries and for injecting Arab and foreign capital into local projects in Jerusalem to provide opportunities for Palestinians in the city.

In the same vein, they called the Arab-Islamic community to extend backing to the Jerusalem fund "Bayt mal al-Quds," set up by the al-Quds committee, at the initiative of King Hassan II, to enable the financial institution launch economic and social projects (construction of lodgings, hospitals and schools, improvement of infrastructure, and others) to secure a decent life to the city's inhabitants.

The Palestinians' income has decreased by 35%, investments dropped by 13% and unemployment soared by 40%, while the Israelis' per-capita income is among the highest in the world and unemployment rate does not exceed 6.7% thanks to foreign backing.

The colloquy also urged Arab and Islamic states to coordinate their actions to prepare for the coming international conference that will be held next July in Geneva to examine Israeli policy in the occupied territories, as this policy violates the provisions of the 1949 Geneva convention.

The Arab and Islamic media were called to include the cause of Jerusalem among their concerns, to condemn all Israeli violations in the city and to denounce the media which distort the reality and keep silent over the Judaization attempts in the holy city.

All along their three-day debates, participants have underlined that the issue of Jerusalem is the key to war and peace in the Middle East and have called on the international community to save Jerusalem and to combat the Judaization of the holy city.

Previous Stories:
  Palestinian official calls Arab and Muslim countries to purchase property in Jerusalem   (2/25/1999)
  Iranian president ready to cooperate with Morocco to defend Jerusalem   (2/25/1999)
  King Hassan II receives Palestinian president   (2/25/1999)
  President Arafat renews determination to proclaim state this year   (2/23/1999)

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