Riyadh – His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, on Saturday addressed a speech to the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, held in Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Here is the full text of the Royal Speech read out by Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch.
“Praise be to God,
May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin
My esteemed brother, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,
My dearest brother, Your Royal Highness, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister,
Your Majesties,
Your Highnesses,
Your Excellency, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States
Your Excellency, the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
This extraordinary session of the Arab and Islamic Summit, called by our sister nation the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is being held in a context fraught with tension and with continuing armed conflict in the Gaza Strip, in which thousands of people among defenseless civilians were killed or injured. It has also caused mass destruction, devastation and a full-fledged siege, in blatant violation of international law and human values.
Although a number of wise voices have been calling for de-escalation and restraint, Israeli artillery and missiles are still targeting defenseless civilians, including children, women and the elderly, and all places of worship, hospitals and camps have been either partially or completely destroyed.
In keeping with my commitment to peace and in my capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, I have called for an awakening of the conscience of the international community in order to stop the killing of human beings, whom Almighty God has honored, and for working together, each from our respective positions, to achieve four urgent priorities:
– First: Bring about urgent, tangible de-escalation and stop military attacks to pave the way for a permanent, verifiable ceasefire;
– Second: Ensure the protection of civilians and prevent their targeting, in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law;
– Third: Allow for the steady delivery of humanitarian aid, in sufficient quantities, to the inhabitants of Gaza;
– Fourth: Pave the way for a political settlement of the Palestinian question – one that can revive the two-state solution agreed by the international community.
Your Majesties, Your Highnesses,
We are facing an unprecedented crisis, which is made even more complex by Israel’s blatant and continuing aggression against helpless civilians. Further compounding the crisis is the silence of the international community, and the fact that the influential powers are ignoring the humanitarian catastrophe visited upon the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip.
Therefore, it is incumbent on the international community and on all of us to make sure the future of the region and its people is not left in the hands of those engaging in outbidding tactics. When it comes to the future of the region, there can be no room for those tactics, nor for self-serving agendas.
We must also deal with this crucial moment in a manner which is consistent with historical responsibility, including the following self-evident facts:
– There is no alternative to genuine peace in the region – peace which guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people on the basis of the two-State solution;
– There is no alternative to an independent Palestinian State, with East Jerusalem as its capital;
– There is no alternative to strengthening the Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of my brother President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen;
– And there is no alternative to establishing mechanisms for sustainable regional security, based on respect for international law and the agreed international resolutions.
Your Majesties, Your Highnesses,
Resolving this crisis and making sure it does not happen again will be achieved only by stopping the aggression against Al-Quds Al-Sharif and ending the provocations that hurt the feelings of more than a billion Muslims.
For this reason, I have always keenly sought, in my capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to draw attention to the seriousness of these Israeli practices and provocations, and to the dire consequences they have for security and stability in the entire region.
In parallel, we have been working on the ground, through the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency, to protect the Holy City, and preserve its historical and legal status as well as the holy, religious sites therein.
As indicated in the “Jerusalem Call,” which I signed with His Holiness Pope Francis, it is the duty of everyone to preserve the Holy City of Jerusalem as a shared heritage of humankind and, above all, as a symbol of values of mutual respect.
Whoever thinks that the logic of force can change this reality and this deeply-rooted identity is wrong. As Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, I shall always rise against such attempts, in coordination with my brother, His Majesty King Abdullah II, the custodian of the Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem.
Your Majesties, Your Highnesses,
We stand at a turning point. It requires each one of us to be resolute and responsible in order to stop the Israeli attacks, and make the logic of reason and wisdom prevail so as to achieve a just and lasting peace in that part of the world, for the sake of the security and stability of all peoples in the region.
Wassalamou alaikoum warahmatoullahi wabarakatouh”.
