Saudi FM: Netanyahu's declaration on West Bank wrong, rejected

JEDDAH, Sept 15 (KUNA) -- Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf condemned on Sunday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu'S declaration "to impose Israeli sovereignty on all the regions of the Jordan Valley, the Northern Dead Sea, and the settlements in the West Bank, if he is reelected." Netanyahu's declaration is wrong and rejected, the minister said, in a speech at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Extraordinary meeting at the level of foreign ministers, held to address serious Israeli escalation in the West Bank and Palestine.
The Saudi minister added 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.
For his part, OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, in a similar speech at the session, has put the Israeli occupation government on notice that it bears responsibility for all the repercussions of this illegal decleration, which would undermine any international effort for the achievement of a just, permanent and comprehensive peace under the vision of the two-state solution.
At the same time, the Secretary General called on all States and international organizations to reject and condemn this provocative declaration and to compel Israel to stop all unilateral procedures as null, void and bearing no legal effect under international law and relevant UN resolutions.
Al-Othaimeen concluded his statement by reaffirming the stands of the OIC and its Member States, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the OIC headquarter State and current Chairman of the 14th Islamic Summit Conference, stands of which are aimed towards the achievement of the Palestinian people's legitimate rights according to international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab peace initiative, in favor of the establishment of the independent State of Palestine on the borders of June 1967, with Eastern Al Quds/Jerusalem as its capital. (end) nsa.mb