On June 4, 2007, in commemoration of “the June 1967 setback,” a communiqué from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was released. It stated that: “The OIC calls for considering 5 June 2007 to 5 June 2008 a year for saving al-Quds and developing an Islamic pact to support it.” It went on to say that: “On this painful occasion, the Muslim Ummah recalls this great loss…[its] religious, historical and civilizational obligations…vis-à-vis this city which hosts al-Aqsa Mosque, the place of the faithful’s longing, the first Qiblah and the third Holy Mosque blessed by God.” The communiqué pointed out that: “It is this reality that makes the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which was established to rescue al-Quds and Palestine, bring to mind this decisive cause which this present generation of Muslims must advocate.” The sense of OIC resolve is summed-up in this manner: “No right is lost so long as it is claimed, no matter how long it might take…Al-Quds Al-Sharif has always been part and parcel of the occupied Palestinian territories.” Consequently, it declared this to be “a year in which all capabilities and events should be utilized…countering Israel’s attempts to Judaize the city.” The communiqué concluded: “This pact should make every Muslim individual responsible for setting Al-Quds free…Endeavors should be made to achieve this goal at all levels through political and other forms of struggle…through support, restoration, reconstruction and defending the ownership of Arab and Islamic landed properties, including Muslim endowments (waqfs). This goal is therefore deemed by the OIC, as the “Muslim’s first cause.”
In terms of “Palestinians rights,” from an Islamic perspective, this cannot be limited merely to land and property lost as a result of “the June 1967 setback.” The OIC Six-Member Committee on Palestine as recently as September 26, 2006, affirmed the right of Palestinian refugees under UN General Assembly Resolution 194 (III), to their property and land lost during the establishment of the nation of Israel, commonly known as the “right of return.”
The OIC Al-Quds Standing Committee was established in July 1975, to follow-up on and implement resolutions adopted by the OIC, including: “Islamic Conference resolutions on the Arab- Israeli conflict in view of the fundamental connection between the Al-Quds question and the conflict.”
On July 13, 1998, the BAYT MAL AL QUDS AGENCY began its operations. Its objectives are threefold: First, to salvage the city of Al Quds Al Sharif; second, to extend assistance to the Palestinian population and Palestinian institutions in the holy capital; and, third, to safeguard and restore the Al Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites in the city as well the city's cultural, religious and architectural heritage. In order to achieve these objectives, the Agency receives contributions from OIC member states, as well as gifts and donations from public and private bodies, such as Islamic charities.
In October 2000, a resolution was passed by an Extraordinary Arab Summit establishing a mechanism for supporting the Palestinian people, for the preservation of the identity of Al-Quds, and the consolidation of the autonomous capabilities of the Palestinian economy. This resolution culminated in the establishment of two funds, the Al-Aqsa and the Al-Quds funds, to provide support for the Palestinian people.
On February 22, 2007, the Executive Committee at the level of Foreign Ministers called on “Member States to provide financial and moral support to the population of Al Quds and its Palestinian institutions, in support for their steadfastness and the preservation of the Islamic and Arab identity, as well as the religious, historical and demographic character of Al Quds…[and] to provide advisory and technical support to the Endowment Department in Al-Quds, as required by Palestine.”
On March 9, 2007, the 127th Session of Arab Foreign Ministers decided to upgrade the ceiling of the Al-Aqsa Fund and Al-Quds Fund by $300 million. It noted that some Arab countries had since the prior Khartoum Summit, contributed to the budget of the Palestinian Authority by $378 milllion out of the targeted $660 million. To date, Egypt has paid $3 million, Kuwait $75 million, Libya $50 million, Oman $5 million, Qatar $50 million, Saudi Arabia $66.2 million, Syria $5.5 million, UAE $50 million, and Yemen $1.6 million.
At the 34th Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) (May 15-17, 2007), it was resolved (5/34-PAL) to support the Palestinian struggle "by all possible means." In addition, the ICFM invited Islamic financial and economic institutions to provide assistance in "all possible forms."
In the OIC Journal for April-June 2007, Khalid Meshaal of Hamas noted that: “The OIC, through its Secretary-General Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and his assistants, has played an exceptional role…Firstly, supporting the Government financially…[and] Secondly, mobilizing the largest possible political and financial support for this Government at both regional and international levels.” When asked how he evaluated the role of the OIC in the Palestinian cause, Meshaal responded: “The Palestinian issue is the cause of all Arabs and Muslims - it is their primary cause, because Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque have great importance for the Muslim Ummah. Certainly, our Palestinian people and the Muslim nations look for a bigger role from the Organization and the Ummah in general.” He went on to add: “With regard to helping the Palestinian people, Palestinians urgently need support for their public resistance and defiance of occupation, which is their legitimate right guaranteed to them by the Holy Scriptures…They also urgently need all Muslims to stand by them in their legitimate efforts to achieve their national right to an independent, sovereign State with Al-Quds as its capital. The Palestinian people also urgently need all kinds of support financial, political, public, social, and media support, as well as humanitarian and other relief assistance. Such support would empower them to stand up to occupation and continue their steadfast resistance and struggle…As long as there is an illegal occupation, the Palestinian people have the right to resist that occupation. There will be no security and no stability under occupation.”
What Does This Mean?
First, at the highest level of Islamic governments throughout the world, there is both the political and financial will to wrest Jerusalem away from Israel, not tomorrow, but right now. Second, clearly the terms of "peace" as understood by the OIC include the return of Jerusalem to exclusive Muslim control, and Israel to accept the right of return. Even Israeli PM Olmert will be unable to live with such terms.
Posted by: John Wood | June 12, 2007 at 05:59