King Mohammed stresses determination to approach international bodies, powers to end Israel's evasion of legality

Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Thursday stressed that he will spare no effort in approaching influential international bodies and powers concerned by peace to put an end to Israel's evasion of international resolutions.

"As Chairman of Al Qods Committee, I shall spare no effort in approaching influential international bodies and the Powers concerned by peace, with a view to putting an end to the Israeli Government's persistence in evading the resolutions of international legality and the commitments they concluded with the Palestinian Authority," King Mohammed VI said in a speech he made at the opening of the second session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Conference, held in Rabat.

He also called for the unconditional return of Israel to the negotiating table.

"The aim also is to bring Israel to resume negotiations with our Palestinian brethren, at the earliest, unconditionally and without interruption, and also to put an end to the Israeli occupation of Arab territories," he said.

The king also urged the Muslim parliamentarians to "make good use of the efficient role of parliamentary diplomacy, for the purpose of mobilizing international support for the just cause of the Palestinian people."

The Moroccan king also underlined that magnitude of the outrageous assault which was perpetrated against innocent civilians in the United States, and which was denounced by the Islamic Ummah, "has not made us forget the tragic events endured by our brethren in Palestinian territories, who are struggling to recover their legitimate right to establish their independent state, with Al Qods Al-Shareef as its capital."

"Given the fact that we are strongly convinced that hatred and confrontation are not an inescapable fatality, especially amongst the sons of Abraham -Peace be upon Him-, and on the land which is the cradle of religions, we are certain that a just and comprehensive solution is the basic requisite for building a lasting peace, which is conducive to coexistence for all," he said.

The king underlined that Morocco has always put the Palestinian cause, especially that of Al-Quds on top of its foreign policy priorities.

"Morocco, which is committed to the principles of dialogue, peace, international legality and Islamic solidarity, and which is proud to have hosted the founding Summit in which the O.I.C. was established, upon an initiative taken by my late father His Majesty King Hassan II -May God bless his soul-, following the arson of the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque, has put the Palestinian cause, more particularly the issue of Al Qods Al Shareef, on top of its longstanding foreign policy priorities," he said.

Some 50 speakers of parliaments and of similar bodies in member states of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC/based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) will attend the union's second session, to open on Thursday.

Participants will debate issues pertaining to the situation in the Arab and Islamic world, especially in Al-Quds and the other Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian territories still occupied by Israel.

The position of OIC member states against terrorism, the role of Islamic parliaments in dialogue between civilizations and the impact of globalization on Islamic economies are also on the agenda.

The Tehran-based Islamic Inter-Parliamentary Union was set up in 1999.