JEDDAH, Sept 15 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah on Sunday affirmed Kuwait's rejection in the strongest possible terms provocative statements and practices by the "Israeli authority that has been established upon occupation due to its settlement and expansionist nature." The Kuwaiti minister was addressing the extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for discussing the declaration by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about his intention to annex territories in the occupied West Bank if he wins forthcoming elections.
The Israeli authority is seeking to alter historic, demographic and legal status of the State of Palestine including the holy Jerusalem, he said, affirming that such an approach is tantamount to flagrant violation and dangerous offensive on the rights and potentials of the Palestinian people. Moreover, they are designed to undermine and threaten international efforts aimed at establishing just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
He also affirmed Kuwait's condemnation of the Israeli attacks and violent acts against civilians, namely recurring raids and air strikes on posts in north and center of Gaza Strip, targeting the unarmed Palestinian people.
In his address to the special and crucial OIC meeting, Sheikh Sabah Khaled affirmed that the meeting was held in response to an invitation by the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the shadow of continuing, recurring and systematic Israeli practices and breaches.
Latest of these actions was the declaration by the "prime minister of the authority founded on occupation regarding imposition of (Israel's sovereignty) on the Jordan Valley, North of the Dead Sea and annexing settlements' lands in the West Bank that have been occupied since 1967 if he wins the upcoming elections.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled has affirms that such an approach by the Israeli premier constitutes flagrant and full breach of the international law and resolutions of the United Nations and the international legitimacy.
"In this respect, we condemn and rebuff in the strongest terms the provocative statements and practices by the authority that has been based on occupation due to its expansionist and settlement nature and its quest to alter the legal, historic and demographic status." Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled noted that the Israeli policy undermines and threatens international efforts aimed at establishing just and comprehensive peace. "We also denounce the Israeli attacks and acts of violence against civilians, namely the raids and air strikes on posts in the north and center of Gaza Strip targeting the unarmed Palestinian people," he said.
Sheikh Sabah Khaled said the Palestinian cause is the Muslims' number-one cause. "It is on top of our organization's priorities," he stated, calling for greater efforts to reach a peaceful settlement, back up legitimate rights of the Palestinian people until end of the occupation.
Such support must continue until attaining the just and comprehensive peace according to the land for peace initiative, the Arab peace initiative and international legitimacy's resolutions that call for the two-state settlement and establishing a Palestinian State with the June 4, 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as its capital.
He indicated in this respect to the Security Council Resolution 2334/2016 that calls on Israeli to promptly halt all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories including East Jerusalem.
The State of Kuwait, on basis of its standing principles, will spare no efforts to back up the legitimate Palestinian rights at all international quarters through its non-permanent membership in the Security Council (2018-2019), the Kuwaiti foreign minister emphasized Fifty years have passed since the OIC was established in response to the crime of torching Al-Aqsa Mosque, thus it is high time to find a fundamental solution to this pivotal issue.
He called on the international community and all stakeholders to shoulder the responsibility and take serious steps for compelling "the authority that has been based on occupation" to implement all its legal obligations and relevant international resolutions. (end) nsa.rk