UN: Morocco calls for respect of Gaza ceasefire, hopes for launch of genuine peace process in Middle East

Morocco, whose sovereign, King Mohammed VI, chairs the Al-Quds Committee, pleaded, Monday in New York, in favor of respecting the ceasefire in Gaza, while expressing hope for the launch of a genuine peace process in the Middle East.

“The ceasefire agreement should pave the way for the reconstruction of what was destroyed by the war, as well as the launch of a genuine peace process, allowing for the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side and in peace with Israel,” stressed the Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN, Omar Hilale before the Security Council.

The ambassador noted that the Kingdom welcomes the entry into force of this agreement and welcomes the progress made towards stopping hostilities and attacks against civilians.

During the Security Council meeting, devoted to the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, Hilale said the Kingdom hopes that this ceasefire agreement will be fully respected, and that it will allow the cessation of attacks against civilians, the release of hostages and detainees, the return of displaced persons, and the smooth access and sufficient quantities of humanitarian aid.

As emphasized by King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, notably in his message to the latest Arab Summit, it is essential to avoid resolving one crisis to move to another, added the ambassador.

Hilale further recalled Morocco’s “constant and clear” position on the justice of the Palestinian cause, since it constitutes the keystone towards peace and stability in the Middle East region, adding that within the framework of this solution, Gaza must be an integral part of the independent Palestinian territories under the legal and political jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority.

He also noted that the continuation of Israeli unilateral measures in Al-Quds fuel tensions, and that King Mohammed VI, in his capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, insists on the importance of preserving the legal, historical and demographic status of the holy city since it is the crossroads of the three monotheistic religions and represents a center of the values of mutual respect and dialogue.

Furthermore, Morocco’s Ambassador to the UN highlighted the political and effective role played by the Al-Quds Committee in favor of the Palestinian people in general and the Maqdessis in particular, mainly through the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency.

In his speech during this open debate chaired by the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, whose country holds the presidency of the Security Council for the month of January, Omar Hilale further highlighted the central role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), recalling that since its inception, this UN agency has represented the backbone of humanitarian action in this part of the world.

Regarding the situation in Lebanon, the ambassador pointed out that Morocco supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon over its territories.

Referring to the situation in Syria, he recalled the Kingdom’s position in support of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of this country, as well as the right of its people to make their own choices and pursue their aspirations for development and peace.