His Majesty King Mohammed VI called on the international community, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, to take a clear, binding decision to impose an immediate, sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.
In a message to the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), Sheikh Niang, His Majesty the King stated that the persistence of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and the ongoing targeting of civilians require the intervention of the international community, particularly global powers and the United Nations Security Council, which is the international mechanism responsible for maintaining security, stability, and peace in the world.
The Sovereign called on influential powers and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to “put an end to the current state of division, speak with one voice and take a clear, binding decision to impose an immediate, sustainable ceasefire, ensuring the respect of international law and international humanitarian law”.
The Sovereign recalled the four urgent priorities that His Majesty had drawn up to stop the targeting of civilians, namely achieving an urgent, tangible de-escalation and stopping military attacks to pave the way for a permanent, verifiable ceasefire, the protection of civilians, the steady delivery of humanitarian aid in sufficient quantities to the inhabitants of Gaza, and the creation of a political environment that can contribute to the revival of the two-state solution.
His Majesty the King also underlined that the recent escalation is an inevitable consequence of the political stalemate observed in the Palestinian issue, while the resolution of this issue will remain key to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
“The recent escalation is also the result of Israel’s systematic, extremist practices, unilateral measures, and repeated provocations in Al-Quds,” stressed His Majesty the King, noting that these actions only undermine efforts to mitigate the situation and ruin international initiatives aimed at ending tensions and frustration, and breaking the deadly cycle of violence.
His Majesty the King noted that the Israeli military reprisals in the Gaza Strip have shown flagrant violations of the international law and international humanitarian law provisions, reiterating His rejection and condemnation of “all these violations, together with the policy of collective punishment, forced displacement and any attempt to impose new facts on the ground”.
“The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian territories and of the unified Palestinian State,” reaffirmed the Sovereign, emphasizing “the urgent need for our Palestinian brothers and sisters in the Gaza Strip to have safe, adequate, sustainable, and unfettered access to relief aid.”
His Majesty the King also recalled the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid to the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, as a contribution from the Kingdom to the international community’s relief and aid efforts.
Despite the gloominess and the lack of prospects for a settlement in the Middle East, the Sovereign expressed his hope that “the international community will make concerted efforts to revive the peace process”, adding that peace, as a strategic option, is the only way to guarantee security and stability for all the affected peoples and protect them from wars and violence.
The Sovereign stressed that the two-state solution is the key to peace, as it is the realistic solution agreed upon by the international community and it can only be achieved through the negotiation process.
In His message, the Sovereign reiterated Morocco’s unwavering position regarding the just cause of the Palestinian people as well as the Kingdom’s support for their legitimate right to establish their independent state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
His Majesty the King, in His capacity as Chairman of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Al-Quds Committee, further emphasized the need to preserve the unique character of the city of Al-Quds and refrain from altering its legal, cultural, historical, or demographic status as “a spiritual center for the followers of the three monotheistic religions”.