King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, insisted on an immediate, lasting, and comprehensive halt to Israel's offensive against the Gaza Strip. He also called for allowing humanitarian aid into the Palestinian territory. «Based on Our responsibilities as Sovereign of the Kingdom of Morocco, whose people ardently aspire to justice, solidarity, and coexistence with other peoples, and in Our capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, We insistently reiterate Our demand for an immediate, lasting, and comprehensive halt to this offensive», stressed the Sovereign in a speech to the 15th Summit Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held on May 4 and 5 in Banjul, Gambia. The speech was read by the Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq. The speech noted that the valiant Palestinian people are facing a situation of extreme gravity, which constitutes an affront to all humanity. «This tense situation is exacerbated by an upsurge in systematic attacks by extremist settlers in the West Bank, instigated by Israeli government officials», King Mohammed VI stated. In this sense, Mohammed VI called for an end to acts of provocation likely to rekindle the conflict, as well as an end to illegal measures taken unilaterally by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Al-Quds Asharif and the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque. «These practices aim to alter the legal status and civilizational character of the Holy City», warned Mohammed VI, reiterating his «categorical rejection of all forms of forced displacement, collective punishment, and acts of reprisal against our Palestinian brothers». The Sovereign called on States influencing the conflict's resolution to assume their historic responsibility and demonstrate common sense by working actively to end this catastrophic situation, remove the region from the cycle of violence, and put an end to the policy of exclusion and fait accompli. Mohammed VI also recalled that, in his capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, and in response to the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe caused by the aggression against Gaza, he had taken the initiative of sending large quantities of aid directly to Palestinians in Gaza and Al-Quds, in coordination with the Egyptian authorities via the Rafah crossing. He further reaffirmed that discussions about the future of the Gaza Strip are only coherent if hostilities cease and the suffering of the Palestinian people is alleviated. The King affirmed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the unified Palestinian territories. It is therefore a Palestinian matter. This region, according to the vision of the two-state solution and in compliance with relevant international resolutions, must live in peace and benefit from independence, the Sovereign further emphasized.
