{"id":120094,"date":"2017-07-20T19:04:57","date_gmt":"2017-07-20T19:04:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=120094"},"modified":"2017-10-25T21:12:56","modified_gmt":"2017-10-25T21:12:56","slug":"international-conference-on-the-question-of-jerusalem-baku-azerbaijan-20-21-july-2017-opening-session-press-release-gapal1391","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/international-conference-on-the-question-of-jerusalem-baku-azerbaijan-20-21-july-2017-opening-session-press-release-gapal1391\/","title":{"rendered":"International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem (Baku, Azerbaijan, 20-21 July 2017) – Opening Session – Press Release (GA\/PAL\/1391)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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20 JULY 2017<\/strong>
\nGA\/PAL\/1391<\/strong><\/h5>\n

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, 20 July \u2014 Against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the holy city of Jerusalem \u2014 sparked by the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the imposition of restrictions on worshippers following a recent violent incident \u2014 the fourth International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem opened in Baku this morning, with speakers voicing concern that such actions could drive the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a religious confrontation with dangerous repercussions.<\/p>\n

The 2017 Conference, convened under the theme \u201cJerusalem and the international community: \u00a0providing political and economic support\u201d, aimed to provide up-to-date information on the situation in the city and explore ways to stimulate its resilient development.\u00a0 Representatives of States, civil society groups and other organizations shared a range of perspectives on the current escalation, while also underscoring the need to provide concrete support to the Palestinian population in East Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no excuse whatsoever [\u2026] to justify this closure,\u201d emphasized Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine to the Â鶹APP, in his opening address.\u00a0 Condemning the three-day closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the restrictions imposed on worshippers by the Israeli authorities, he rejected as \u201cabhorrent\u201d the use of pretexts to violate the religious rights of Palestinians, which could turn the present conflict into a religious confrontation, deepening hatred and animosity between the parties.\u00a0 Jerusalem faced a dangerous situation as a result of those actions, he noted, proposing that the Conference draft and deliver a communiqu\u00e9 rejecting them.\u00a0 That, he said, would serve as a message from participants that Israel\u2019s recent behaviour would not be tolerated.<\/p>\n

Shahin Abdullayev, Ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, in delivering an opening address on behalf of the host country, described the question of Jerusalem as \u201cone of the most important, albeit complex\u201d parts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and stressed that its resolution should be at the centre of international efforts to establish a just and lasting peace in the region.\u00a0 In that regard, he called for a new status for East Jerusalem, which would establish it as the capital of the State of Palestine within 1967 borders.\u00a0 He also joined other speakers in underlining the particular importance of Al-Haram al-Sharif\/Temple Mount, calling on the international community to pay special attention to that site and to take into account the views of the Palestinians living in East Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Miroslav Jen\u010da, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, delivered an address on behalf of Secretary-General Anton\u00edo Guterres, recalling that 2017 marked 50\u00a0years since the start of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war that had resulted in Israel\u2019s occupation of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.\u00a0 Today, the expansion of illegal settlements, continuing violence and the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip had increased the distance between Palestinians and Israelis and deepened mistrust and despair, he said, adding that the humanitarian and economic costs of the occupation could not be denied.\u00a0 In that context, it was \u201chigh time\u201d to create the conditions for a return to direct negotiations, he said, urging the international community to support that effort by opposing the expansion of Israeli settlements, among other things.<\/p>\n

Samir Bakr, Assistant Secretary General for Palestine Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), also expressed concern over Israel\u2019s recent escalation.\u00a0 Warning that such actions would only exacerbate the situation and give it a religious dimension with dangerous repercussions, he urged the international community to hold Israel accountable.\u00a0 While the OIC was committed to providing unconditional support to the Palestinian people, and to reaching a fair, comprehensive solution to the conflict, their historic suffering in East Jerusalem every day necessitated \u2014 now more than ever \u2014 serious action commensurate with the challenges on the ground.<\/p>\n

A number of delegates voiced their firm support for the Palestinian people and calling for a just, lasting and comprehensive solution based on the establishment of a sovereign, independent State of Palestine within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side-by-side with Israel.\u00a0 Several speakers also sounded alarms over Israel\u2019s recent actions in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as its continued settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in defiance of the international community\u2019s wishes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must step up efforts to ensure that Israel is held accountable for its illegal actions,\u201d said Malaysia\u2019s representative, noting that the Conference had gained even greater focus and significance in light of recent events.\u00a0 Israel\u2019s provocative actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque were both a violation of international law and of the rights of Muslims to perform their religious rituals in their holy places, without restrictions.\u00a0 He also expressed concern over Israel\u2019s continuing attempts to amplify the Jewish character of Jerusalem by altering its demographic composition, character and legal status.\u00a0 Such activities were unacceptable and constituted an obstacle to a two-State solution, he stressed.<\/p>\n

Turkey\u2019s representative echoed concerns over the closure of Al-Aqsa, saying such actions exceeded any reasonable security concern.\u00a0 He called upon Israel to fulfil its obligations as the occupying Power in East Jerusalem, and to alter the restrictions it had imposed on worshippers, including metal detectors placed at the gates of Al-Haram al-Shariff.<\/p>\n

Also speaking were representatives of Indonesia and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.<\/p>\n

The Conference will reconvene at 2\u00a0p.m. today, for its first plenary session.<\/p>\n

Opening Remarks<\/u><\/p>\n

SHAHIN ABDULLAYEV, Ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan<\/u>, delivered an address on behalf of the host country, recalling his country\u2019s consistent support for the Palestinian people.\u00a0 Describing the question of Jerusalem as \u201cone of the most important, albeit complex\u201d parts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he stressed that its resolution should be at the centre of international efforts to establish a just and lasting peace in the region.\u00a0 In that regard, he called for a new status for the city that would establish it as the capital of the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders.<\/p>\n

Underlining the particular importance of Al-Haram al-Sharif\/Temple Mount in that context, he called upon the international community to pay special attention to that site.\u00a0 Commending Jordan\u2019s custodianship, he emphasized the need to take the views of Palestinians living in East Jerusalem into account in that regard. \u00a0He also called for the rapid resumption of negotiations and voiced support for efforts by the Â鶹APP and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in support of the vision of two States living side by side in peace and security.<\/p>\n

MIROSLAV JEN\u010cA, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, delivered an address on behalf of Secretary-General Anton\u00edo Guterres, recalling that 2017 marked 50\u00a0years since the start of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war that had resulted in Israel\u2019s occupation of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.\u00a0 Today, the peace process remained stalled amid the continuing negative trends that endangered the two-State solution.\u00a0 The expansion of illegal settlements, continuing violence and the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip increased the distance between Palestinians and Israelis and deepened mistrust and despair.\u00a0 In addition, with nearly half of Palestinians in the Occupied Territory dependent on humanitarian assistance and the Palestinian economy facing continued restrictions and declining growth, the occupation\u2019s costs could not be denied.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnding the occupation and achieving a negotiated two-State solution is the only way to lay the foundations for an enduring peace \u2014 one that would allow both peoples to live in security and fulfil their legitimate national aspirations,\u201d he said.\u00a0 Emphasizing that there was no place for a recourse to violence of any type in seeking a solution to the conflict, he said it was high time to create the conditions for a return to direct negotiations so as to resolve all final status issues, including the question of Jerusalem, on the basis of relevant Â鶹APP resolutions, mutual agreements and international law.\u00a0 While such efforts would ultimately depend on political will on the part of the two sides, the international community also bore a responsibility to support the process, he said, underlining that it must do all in its power to support Palestinian state-building, including by continuing to oppose the expansion of Israeli settlements.<\/p>\n

Additionally, he continued, international partners must help to address the socioeconomic challenges confronting those living in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, its 17\u00a0Sustainable Development Goals and its pledge to \u201cleave no one behind\u201d.\u00a0 Internal differences \u2014 which hindered Palestinian unity and impeded efforts to achieve a negotiated solution \u2014 must also be adequately addressed.\u00a0 Recalling that the Â鶹APP country team on the ground had developed a new \u201cEngagement strategy in East Jerusalem\u201d several months ago, he said the Â鶹APP was also collaborating with outside partners to overcome the current negative trajectory.<\/p>\n

RAFAEL DAR\u00cdO RAM\u00cdREZ CARRE\u00d1O (Venezuela<\/u>), Chair of the Conference, delivered a statement on behalf of Fod\u00e9 Seck (Senegal), Chair of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, describing Jerusalem as the \u201cfulcrum\u201d of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.\u00a0 \u201cWhatever happens in this city not only has an effect on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, but reverberates throughout the world,\u201d he said, calling on the international community to wrest the issue of the city from the hands of radicals and fanatics, and turn it \u201cfrom a topic of confrontation into one of cooperation\u201d for the benefit of its inhabitants, as well as those of the region and beyond.\u00a0 One way to accomplish that goal was to provide concrete support to the Palestinian inhabitants of East Jerusalem, he said, noting that they suffered neglect by Israel, the occupying Power, and separation by the Israeli security wall from the rest of the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n

While providing up-to-date information on the current situation in East Jerusalem under occupation, he continued, the Conference would first and foremost explore practical ways to stimulate the city\u2019s resilient development \u2014 through tourism and infrastructure projects, for example \u2014 and seek examples of how the international community, OIC member States in particular, could organize and deliver such support.\u00a0 The Committee, for its part, would continue to support the Palestinian people until they prospered in a free and sovereign State of Palestine living in peaceful coexistence with all its neighbours.<\/p>\n

SAMIR BAKR, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation<\/u>, expressed concern that Israel\u2019s recent escalation of the conflict in Jerusalem, including its recent closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque and aggressions against those praying there would only exacerbate the situation and give it a religious dimension with dangerous repercussions.\u00a0 He urged the international community to hold Israel accountable, pointing out that, as the occupying Power, it continued its attempts to isolate Jerusalem\u2019s Palestinian population and to obliterate the city\u2019s Islamic character.\u00a0 Calling upon the Security Council to commit itself to implementing its relevant resolutions, he emphasized the OIC\u2019s commitment to providing unconditional support to the Palestinian people and to reaching a fair, comprehensive solution to the conflict.\u00a0 However, the \u201chistoric suffering\u201d faced by the Palestinian people in East Jerusalem every day necessitated, now more than ever, serious action commensurate with the challenges on the ground, he stressed.<\/p>\n

RIYAD MANSOUR, Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine<\/u> to the Â鶹APP, recalled the General Assembly\u2019s decision to establish 2017 as the year to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and people, as well as the Security Council\u2019s recent adoption of resolution 2234 (2016), calling for an end to Israel\u2019s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.\u00a0 Jerusalem faced a particularly dangerous moment due to Israel\u2019s recent activities \u2014 which had culminated in the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque in contravention of the Geneva Conventions and other international laws \u2014 and \u201cthere is no excuse whatsoever [\u2026] to justify this closure\u201d.\u00a0 Condemning those actions, he said they restricted the religious rights of the Palestinian population.\u00a0 He also rejected the \u201cabhorrent\u201d use of pretexts in that regard, voicing concern that such actions would turn the present conflict into a religious confrontation, deepening hatred and animosity between the parties.<\/p>\n

Recalling that President Mahmoud Abbas had repeatedly indicated his willingness to engage with both the European Union and the new United States Administration towards a meaningful political process leading to the creation of a sovereign State of Palestine, he said Israel had not demonstrated similar resolve.\u00a0 Indeed, the extremist elements of Israeli society were more interested in perpetuating the one-State situation, also known as apartheid, he noted.\u00a0 While Council resolution 2234 (2016) condemned as the illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, he said, the Israeli Government\u2019s continuing expansion sent a signal to its people that it was not ready or willing to withdraw.<\/p>\n

Regarding the current escalation around Al-Aqsa, he proposed that the Conference draft and deliver a communiqu\u00e9 rejecting the closure of holy sites under any circumstances, and calling for the removal of all hindrances, including magnetic instruments, aimed at those seeking to pray inside.\u00a0 The communiqu\u00e9 should also seek guarantees that Israel would not repeat such behaviour and that the historic status quo would be maintained without any change.\u00a0 Such a document would serve as a message from the participants that Israel\u2019s recent behaviour would not be tolerated, he said.<\/p>\n

Mr.\u00a0RAM\u00cdREZ (Venezuela<\/u>), Conference Chair, spoke in his national capacity, recalling that his country had recently completed its term on the Security Council, where the issue of Palestine still appeared to be blocked.\u00a0 After 10\u00a0years of silence, the Council had, in late 2016, adopted a resolution on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.\u00a0 Calling on participants to seize the opportunity presented by the Conference to send a further message in that regard, he agreed that the recent escalation had produced a very dangerous situation on the ground.\u00a0 Blocking worshippers from Al-Aqsa was completely unacceptable, he said, underlining Venezuela\u2019s support for the State of Palestine\u2019s proposal to draft a message to that effect.<\/p>\n

Statements<\/u><\/p>\n

HUSNAN BEY FANANIE (Indonesia<\/u>), outlining his country\u2019s long-standing support for the Palestinian people, emphasized the inviolability of their inalienable rights \u2013 including the right to self-determination and to establish an independent State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.\u00a0 While the road to the fulfilment of the Palestinian dream of nationhood had regrettably often been met with disappointment, \u201cneither disappointment nor frustration not failure is an option\u201d.\u00a0 To accept the present stalemate was to accept the proposition that Palestinians should not enjoy the same political rights and privileges as others, he said, stressing that such a position was inconsistent with history and common sense.\u00a0 \u201cWe must move forward by doing the right thing,\u201d he said, stressing that the time had come when Israel must end its intransigence and its negative policies and invest in the quest for peace.\u00a0 The path forward lay in a broad-based international effort that would examine all aspects of the challenge in the Middle East, he said, urging all States to explore avenues to ensure the success of such an effort.<\/p>\n

ROSLAN ABDUL RAHMAN (Malaysia<\/u>) said the Conference gained even greater focus and significance in light of recent events.\u00a0 In view of efforts by certain parties to diminish the focus on the broader issue of the question of Palestine, the meeting was critical to ensuring that the issue continued to command the attention of the international community.\u00a0 Condemning the 14 July closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the strongest terms, he said Israel\u2019s provocative action was both a violation of international law and of the rights of Muslims to perform their religious rituals in their holy places without restrictions.\u00a0 He also voiced concern over Israel\u2019s continuing attempts to amplify the Jewish character of Jerusalem by altering its demographic composition, character and legal status, underlining that such activities were unacceptable and constituted an obstacle to the two-State solution.<\/p>\n

Renouncing any attempt to attain international recognition of Jerusalem as Israel\u2019s undivided capital, he said that question must not be considered in isolation from the peace process since it was a fundamental element of any final, just and comprehensive settlement of the conflict.\u00a0 While the present Conference was a manifestation of support for the Palestinian people, \u201cwe must do more\u201d, he said, adding that States must no longer be detached from or apathetic to developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.\u00a0 \u201cWe must step up efforts to ensure that Israel is held accountable for its illegal actions,\u201d he stressed, urging States to exert diplomatic, economic and political pressure to that end.<\/p>\n

BILAL QASEM, Vice-President, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean<\/u>, expressed concern about the unprecedented escalation that had led to the closure of Al-Aqsa and the prevention of worshippers from exercising their religious rights.\u00a0 Condemning the escalation, he expressed support for a sovereign and independent State of Palestine within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, urging the international community to take resolute action against escalation.<\/p>\n

ERKAN \u00d6ZORAL (Turkey<\/u>), noting that the 50-year-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian land remained a major source of instability in the region \u2014 and widely exploited by extremist groups \u2014 said an independent and sovereign State of Palestine within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital was the only way to realize a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.\u00a0 The lack of diplomatic balance between the two sides could only be remedied through further recognition of the State of Palestine by countries beyond the 137\u00a0that had already done so, he said, underlining the need to avoid provocative steps in violation of Security Council resolutions on the status of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

Emphasizing that the three-day closure of Al-Haram al-Sharif following an incident on 14\u00a0July exceeded any reasonable security concern, he urged Israel to fulfil its obligations as the occupying Power in East Jerusalem and to alter its related restrictions, including the placement of metal detectors at the gates of Al-Haram al-Sharif.\u00a0 Palestinian reconciliation was another crucial dimension to the issue, he said, emphasizing support for Palestinian unity and recalling that his country had recently delivered three shipments of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.\u00a0 Turkey had also contributed $500,000 to the Â鶹APP Emergency Fund to address Gaza\u2019s deepening electricity crisis, he said.<\/p>\n

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For information media. Not an official record.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

20 JULY 2017 GA\/PAL\/1391 BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, 20 July \u2014 Against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the holy city of Jerusalem \u2014 sparked by the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the imposition of restrictions on worshippers following a recent violent incident \u2014 the fourth International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem opened in Baku […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":172,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[684],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[1753,2173,2705],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1961],"entity":[1889,1729],"document-language":[6542],"class_list":["post-120094","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","country-azerbaijan","document-category-press-release","document-source-ceirpp","document-source-division-for-palestinian-rights-dpr","document-source-organization-of-islamic-cooperation-oic","document-subject-jerusalem","entity-intergovernmental-organization-or-multilateral","entity-united-nations-system","document-language-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/120094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/120094\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=120094"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=120094"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=120094"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=120094"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=120094"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=120094"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=120094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}