OIC FINAL COMMUNIQUE FROM GAZA SUMMIT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000077

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KISL KPAL WBG SA
SUBJECT: OIC FINAL COMMUNIQUE FROM GAZA SUMMIT

REF: A. JEDDAH 70 B. JEDDAH 74


1. (U) The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
issued a Final Communique on February 3 after hosting an
expanded meeting of its Executive Committee to discuss the
situation in Gaza (Refs A and B). The Communique reiterates
previous OIC remarks condemning Israel and urging the
international community to address developments in Gaza. OIC
Director General of Political Affairs Mahdy Fathallah
provided a copy of the Communique personally to the Consul
General at their recent meeting and asked that the State
Department be made aware of it at the highest levels
appropriate.


2. (U) BEGIN TEXT:

FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE EXPANDED EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE
OIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT THE LEVEL OF FOREIGN MINISTERS ON
THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN PALESTINE IN PARTICULAR THE SIEGE
IMPOSED ON THE GAZA STRIP

HEADQUARTERS OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ORGANIZATION
OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE
JEDDAH - KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

3 FEBRUARY 2008

The Expanded Extraordinary Meeting of the OIC Executive
Committee at the Level of Foreign Ministers, meeting on 3
February 2008 (25 Muharram 1429H),at the Headquarters of the
General Secretariat of the Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) in the city of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia,

Proceeding from the principles and objectives enshrined in
the OIC Charter and acting in accordance with the OIC
resolutions on the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif;

Hailing the steadfast resistance of the Palestinian people in
the face of Israeli aggression and reaffirming its support of
their just struggle in order to regain their inalienable and
imprescriptible rights, including their right to
self-determination and the establishment of their independent
State of Palestine with Al-Quds as its capital, and their
right to a just settlement of the issue of Palestinian
refugees in accordance with United Nations General Assembly
Resolution No. 194;

Reaffirming that the Palestinian territories occupied since
1967, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Al-Quds,
constitute one single geographical unit;

Asserting that the persistent illegal Israeli violations and
practices in the occupied Palestinian territories-including
the assaults on the city of Al-Quds, the excavations and
settlement activities; as well as the killings,
assassinations, and incursions, most particularly the latest
incursions and assaults in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
which have left in their trail hundreds of victims amongst
Palestinian civilians-constitute gross violations of human
rights and exacerbate the humanitarian conditions in the
occupied Palestinian territories;

Noting that the blockade imposed by Israel on the Gaza
Strip-including closing down the border crossings and cutting
the flow of fuel supplies, food, and medicines as well as
actions in the West Bank such as setting road
blocks-constitutes collective punishment of the civilian
population; provokes serious humanitarian repercussions; and
is considered a war crime, crime against humanity and a
blatant breach of international law;

Having taken cognizance of the Report of the OIC
Secretary-General on the Grave Conditions in Palestine and

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the Blockade Imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip and having
listened to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Palestine and
the interventions of Their Excellencies the Ministers and
Heads of Delegations;


I. Condemns Israel for its despicable aggression on the
Palestinian people and its illegal and illegitimate
practices, most particularly the extrajudicial killings and
assassinations, bombardment of homes and infrastructures, and
the unjustifiable blockade that Israel has imposed on the
Gaza Strip as a collective punishment that comes under the
category of war crimes. Holds Israel, the occupying force,
responsible for the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in
the Gaza Strip and asserts that these conditions are the
direct result of Israel's persistent assault, closure of

JEDDAH 00000077 002 OF 002


border crossings, and disruption of the flow of fuel, food,
and medical supplies to the Palestinian people in the Gaza
Strip.

II. Expresses its deep disappointment at the failure of the
Security Council to assume its responsibility in addressing
the humanitarian plight in Gaza, calls upon the international
community to act swiftly and provide immediate protection for
the Palestinian citizens in the occupied Palestinian
territories and tasks the Islamic Group at the UN to pursue
necessary measure to secure an adequate action by the United
Nations.

III. Welcomes UN Humans Rights Council Resolution No.
A/HRC/S-6/L.1 adopted at its Extraordinary Session on 23
January 2008 on the Human Rights Violations Arising from the
Israeli Military Attacks and Incursions in the Palestinian
Occupied Territories, Particularly in the Gaza Strip. Calls
for the implementation of its provisions, especially the call
to provide immediate protection for Palestinian civilians in
the occupied Palestinian territories, in compliance with
human rights law and international humanitarian law.

IV. Welcomes the initiative launched by the Secretary-General
and aimed at drumming up essential support to secure the
necessary humanitarian needs for the Palestinian people in
the Gaza Strip; expresses its appreciation for the role
assumed by civil society institutions in the Member States by
lending their help to the population of the Gaza Strip; and
exhorts them to provide greater humanitarian assistance.


V. Urges the Member States, the Islamic Development Bank
(IDB),and private financial institutions to endeavor to
provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian
people in order to alleviate their suffering, which has been
created by Israel's violations, including its blockade,
killings, and starvation.

VI. Reiterates its appreciation and support of the efforts
deployed by the Arab Republic of Egypt in order to alleviate
the Palestinian people's suffering and to find a way out of
the current humanitarian crisis. The meeting also expresses
its support for the call made by Egyptian President Mohamed
Hosni Mubarak for the Palestinian factions to expeditiously
end their differences and resume the national dialogue on
foundations that secure Palestinian national unity and serve
the Palestinian people's higher interests in a way that is
conducive to the reinstatement of the legitimate authority's
role in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.

VII. Welcomes the Palestinian Authority's declaration that it
was ready to assume the responsibility for operating all Gaza
Strip crossings; and calls on the parties concerned to resume
the application of internationally-agreed arrangements so as
to ensure the reopening of the Gaza Strip crossings,
including the Rafah Crossing, and so as to prevent the
recurrence of the current humanitarian crisis in the future.

VIII. Reaffirms its unequivocal support for the establishment
of an independent Palestinian State with full sovereignty
over all Palestinian territories occupied snce 1967, and
with Al-Quds as its capital. Reiteates the illegality of
Israeli measures aimed atjudaizing the city of AlQuds and
altering its go-demographic character as well as the
illegalityof the assaults and excavations being implemented
within the vicinity of the Holy Al-Aqa Mosque.

IX. Mandates the Secretary-General, in coordination with the
Chairs of the Summit and Foreign Ministers Conference and
Palestine, to take the necessary steps in order to contact
influential international stakeholders and the United Nations
with a view to lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip and
resolving the ensuing humanitarian crisis.


3. (U) END TEXT.
GFOELLER