ISTANBUL - The Islamic countries held Israel fully responsible for destroying the Middle East peace process.
The joint communique of the 31st Session of the Islamic Conference of the Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, said, ''we express our strong condemnation of Israel's persistent and mounting aggressions against the holy places in the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the other Palestinian cities, desecration of the holy places and violation of the hall of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and aggressing people performing prayer there. We also strongly condemn Israel's illegal measures and practices in the city of Al Quds Al-Sharif carried out in contradiction with international resolution and laws with the purpose of judaizing the holy city and eradicating its Arab and Islamic character.''
''We reject the declaration made by the President of the United States George Bush during the joint conference with the Israeli Prime Minister on April 14, 2004, and the U.S. letter of guarantees to Israel which contained dangerous concessions to Israel concerning the final settlement and the mechanism of agreement thereon, which jeopardizes the national rights of the Palestinian people,'' it said.
The joint communique said, ''we emphasize that the Israeli policies, practices and expansionist designs threaten not only Arab states and the peace process, but also the Islamic countries at large and jeopardize international peace and security.''
''We hail the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their valiant 'intifada' (uprising) aimed at recovering their inalienable national rights,'' it stressed.
The OIC noted that it called for immediate lifting of the siege on the Palestinian people and President Yasser Arafat of Palestine.
''We stress the need to implement the declaration adopted by the Conference of the Contracting States Parties to the Geneva Convention of 1949 adopted on December 5, 2001,'' it said.
Condemning Israel for building the segregation wall, the OIC called upon the Quartet to intensify efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East in accordance with the roadmap and the relevant agreements and resolutions.
''We strongly condemn Israel for its assassination of the symbols of Palestinian national action, particularly the founder of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Sheikh Ahmad Yassin and Dr. Abdulaziz Rantissi,'' it said.
Emphasizing that the Islamic countries held Israel fully responsible for destroying the Middle East peace process, the joint communique stressed that Israel acted against the principle of the ''land for peace'' and resolutions of the United Nations Security Council 242 and 338.
(UK-AÖ) 16.06.2004