In a speech delivered at the emergency Islamic summit in Istanbul dwelling on the Jerusalem cause, President Michel Aoun said that "Israel carried out the worst forms of ethnic cleansing, although the Balfour Declaration stipulated non-diminishing to the rights of communities."

"Muslims and Christians cannot be imagined without the Al-Aqsa Mosque. US President Donald Trump has bypassed international laws and dropped the United States as a superpower," Aoun told his audience, commenting on Trump’s recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

He pointed out that "the United Nations has divided Palestine, and if it fails to deal with the Trump decision, it would be waiving its role as an international reference that resolves international disputes." 

"The United Nations has never succeeded in effective condemnation and deterring to Israel," he added however.

"The events that have plagued the Arab and Islamic worlds in recent years, and the prevailing state of stumbling and confusion have broken relations between some brotherly and friendly countries. I have sensed the seriousness of the situation since day one, and have actually called for resorting to dialogue during the Arab summit," the President went on to say, noting that "Israel is the only beneficiary of this new and unfortunate reality."

"What is happening today is an inevitable outcome of our deviation from the goal."

"Will Al-Quds be able to unite us again so we can save our history, our people and our heritage? Or will we fall and drag down with us Al-Quds and let Palestine be lost forever?" he asked his audience, calling upon them "to adhere to the Arab initiative for peace."

Urging for "peoples of our countries to act locally and around the world to form a popular force that supports our political and diplomatic pressure," Aoun stressed "the need for unified, gradual, diplomatic and economic punitive measures against any country that tends to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel."

"Our goal is peace, but there is no peace without justice and no justice without respect for rights," he concluded.

On the sidelines of the summit, President Aoun met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he thanked for this "emergency summit which aims to express the seriousness of the situation."
President Erdogan expressed his appreciation for President Aoun's participation in the Summit and his positions in support of Jerusalem and its history.

The President also met with his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, who thanked him for "his efforts to defend the identity of Al-Quds and the rights of Palestinians in general."

Jordan's King, Abdullah II, expressed his country's position on the recent developments in the Middle East, especially the American recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

He told President Aoun that Jordan does not accept this decision, tackling with him the inter-Arab contacts and measures which must be carried out to unite the Arab community in the face of the dangers threatening the region as a result of this decision."

King Abdullah also congratulated Aoun on "his successful management of the government crisis that arose after the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri."

During the meeting between the President of the Republic and the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, discussions touched on importance of Arab solidarity at this stage in order to ensure a unified position that foils all attempts to wrest Jerusalem from the Arab embrace and change the geographical identity and demographics of Palestine, and spare the region a great deal of risks due to the recent US decision."

The Emir renewed his invitation to President Aoun to visit Kuwait, which he promised to meet.

President Aoun also discussed with Iranian President Hassan Rowhani "the developments in the region in general and the issue of Jerusalem in particular." The Iranian president expressed "his country's support for all that leads to preserving Jerusalem and preventing the Israeli occupation forces from taking control over it."
"This holy city is important for the whole world," he said.

President Aoun also met with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The meeting dwelled on "preventing the usurpation of Palestinian and Arab rights and the many attempts to distort the image of Al-Quds as the capital of heavenly religions

Source: NNA