CAIRO, June 17 (KUNA) -- President of Arab Parliament Dr. Meshaal Al-Salmi confirmed Monday centrality of Palestinian cause to the Arab world and the Arab identity of occupied Jerusalem, stressing eastern Jerusalem as the national capital of Palestine.
This came during Al-Salmi's press statement during the meetings held by the Palestinian Committee of the Arab Parliament to discuss recent developments related to Palestine issue with the aim of preparing a draft resolution to be submitted to the plenary session of Parliament on Wednesday.
Al-Salmi said the Committee discussed developments in Palestine along with the violations and racist actions of Israel against the Palestinian detainees, and the raid on Al-Aqsa mosque which forcefully removed the individuals while praying during the month of Ramadan, in addition to continued administrative detention and illegal settlement policy.
The Committee condemned the continued raids of Israeli forces on Al-Aqsa Mosque and assault on the worshipers, considering these assaults on their right to practice their religious freedoms as stipulated by humanitarian right's charters, added Al-Salmi.
He also added the Committee condemned the Israeli forces' for concealing imprisonment of Palestinians during Ramadan, when human rights groups called for enforcing the international law against the occupying forces to adhere to rights of the prisoners as stipulated in the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The decision of the Republic of Moldova to transfer their embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was condemned by the Arab Parliament.
Al-Salmi said this decision is a direct attack on the rights of the Palestinian people, urging Moldova to retreat from this decision.
The Czech parliament's vote against their deciusion to transfer their embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was praised by Al-Salmi, as he saluted the Parliament members who voted against this decision for their adherence to the international law.
The Czech House of Representatives recognized the state of Palestine and its capital as Jerusalem on the borders of June 4, 1967.
The Committee also discussed the topic of criminalizing the sale of products manufactured in Israeli settlements as the Arab Parliament praised Scottish Parliament's vote on the law prohibiting these products, pointed out Al-Salmi.
He also called on the international community to pressure the Israeli government to release the Palestinian tax revenues in full without any deduction.
Al-Salmi assured that providing all aid and support for the Palestinian people through the Palestinian National Authority, stressing at the same time the importance of the authority's responsibility of providing services and basic requirements for the Palestinians.
Al-Salmi renewed the Arab Parliament's support of the efforts to end the divide among the Palestinians and strengthen the nation's unity and the unity of its lands in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza, while also rejecting any attempts to divide the Palestinian territory by separating the Gaza Strip from other Palestinian territories. (end) mfm.esm.aq