CAIRO: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Al-Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah renewed Kuwait's strong condemnation of "unjustifiable (Zionist) brutality" against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories. "Kuwait followed, with profound concern, the recent escalation of the brutal crimes which constitute a flagrant violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and international law," Sheikh Salem in his address to the high-level Conference in Support of Jerusalem, hosted at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo on Sunday.
Sheikh Salem, leading Kuwait delegation to the gathering, recalled the Zionist onslaught on the West Bank city of Jenin, where dozens of unarmed civilians were killed or injured, and the repeated storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. Expressing condolences to the families of the Palestinian martyrs, he said, "Kuwait calls on the international community to respond urgently and effectively to these violations and provide full protection to the brotherly people of Palestine."
"Such brutality risks undermining the prospects of peace and fueling violence in the region," the minister warned, holding the Zionist occupation authorities responsible for the consequences of the aggression. On the legal status of Jerusalem, Sheikh Salem reiterated, on behalf of Kuwait, strong opposition to any unilateral attempts by the Zionist entity, the occupying authority, to tamper with the historical and legal status of the holy city, including the Muslim and Christian shrines there.
"Kuwait maintains strong belief in the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause and the righteous struggle of the Palestinian people against the (Zionist) occupation. "Accordingly, Kuwait stands by the Palestinian people and back their options for realizing a fair and comprehensive solution, ending the occupation, ensuring the return of refugees to their homeland, and establishing an independent state within the pre-June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in keeping with the relevant UN resolutions, the two-state vision and the Arab initiative for peace," he stressed.
Sheikh Salem commended Resolution 781 of the Arab Summit, held in Algeria in early last November, to convene the high-level Conference in Support of Jerusalem, saying that the resolution signaled that Palestine continues to be a top priority for Arab countries. He appreciated the great efforts made by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki to lobby for the gathering. On the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Sheikh Salem expressed Kuwait's sincere sympathy and full solidarity with the families of the victims, wishing the wounded a quick recovery.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday accused the Zionist entity of having "crossed all red lines" in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem and urged world leaders to put an end to its actions. The international community must "protect" the Palestinian people and "put a stop to (Zionist) aggression... (and) unilateral actions", the head of the Palestinian Authority told the Arab League meeting in Cairo.
"(Zionist) intransigence and practices have crossed all red lines", he said at the gathering attended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II. Last year was the deadliest year in the West Bank since the United Nations started tracking casualties in the territory in 2005. The conflict has seen at least 43 Palestinians killed this year, according to AFP figures.
In a video address, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres affirmed the international body's "clear position against unilateral actions," citing "illegal settlements in east Jerusalem" in particular. Sisi - whose country retains its traditional role as a Middle East mediator - vowed to "continue to work with the two sides of the conflict to revive the political process and restore calm in the West Bank and Gaza".
King Abdullah, whose country acts as custodian of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, said Arab leaders "must galvanize efforts to support the resilience of our brothers" in the Palestinian territories. US President Joe Biden told Abdullah last week that Washington supports a "two-state solution" in the Palestinian-Zionist conflict. "Mr Biden tells me he supports a two-state solution, but then does nothing at all," Abbas added.
A two-state solution would mean the dismantling of Zionist settlements in the occupied West Bank, as well as the partition of Jerusalem, which the Zionist entity refuses as it considers the city its undivided capital. The Arab League is itself split on relations with the Zionist entity since 2020 when the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalized ties with the Zionist state under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, years after Egypt and Jordan had forged relations. - Agencies