Situation in Palestine: Morocco’s King has continuously called for moving away from the logic of conflict & violence, for promoting the logic of peace – FM

King Mohammed VI has continuously called for moving away from the logic of conflict and violence, to promote that of peace, cooperation, and to build up a prosperous space for all the peoples of the Middle East region.

The remarks were made by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, on Wednesday in Cairo as he was chairing the extraordinary session of the Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers on the development of the situation in Palestine.

The Ministerial meeting, dedicated to examining the actions to be taken at the Arab level to end the escalation in Palestinian territories and to put an end to the targeting of civilians, adopted a resolution demanding the immediate cessation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and its surroundings and calling on all parties to exercise restraint.

The resolution warned of the “catastrophic repercussions, both human and security-related, of the continuation and expansion of the escalation,” advocating urgent and effective action to enforce international law, ensure the region’s security and stability against the risk of an expanding spiral of violence that everyone will pay for.

In the same context, the Arab foreign ministers condemned the killing of civilians on both sides and expressed their unequivocal rejection of any actions targeting them, while emphasizing the imperative of ensuring their protection in accordance with universal human values and in compliance with international humanitarian law and the law of war.

In his address before the council, Bourita expressed Morocco’s readiness to join any Arab and international efforts aimed at realizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people for the establishment of an independent state with East Al-Quds as its capital, based on the borders of June 4, 1967, in accordance with the internationally agreed upon two-state solution.

He stressed that the King has always emphasized that the security and stability of the Middle East require mediation and intense, ongoing efforts to move away from the logic of conflict and violence and to promote that of peace, cooperation, and the construction of a prosperous space for all the peoples of the region.

He also reiterated Morocco’s full and constant support for the State of Palestine and its legitimate national authority under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas in defending the rights of the Palestinian people and achieving their aspirations for freedom, independence, and a dignified life.

Bourita emphasized the commitment of Morocco, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, to a just and comprehensive peace in accordance with the resolutions of international legality as an inevitable strategic choice.

“The bloody and horrifying events that erupted on Saturday, October 7, 2023, and the unprecedented violence that accompanied them, show that the region is facing an unparalleled situation that could lead to a conflict with unpredictable repercussions and fuel a discourse of systematic extermination,” he added.

He pointed out that the King has consistently warned of the danger of blocking the political perspective of the Palestinian cause and the continued violations and unilateral measures in Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Minister emphasized that the Sovereign has also warned that these unacceptable actions fuel extremism, nurture a culture of violence, stoke conflict, undermine peace efforts, and sabotage the prospect of a two-state solution and the chances of a just and lasting global peace.

Bourita also indicated that on the King’s high instructions Morocco, as the President of the 160th session of the Arab League Ministerial Council, convened this emergency meeting for consultation and coordination regarding the deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip and the outbreak of military actions targeting civilians, as well as examining means to end this dangerous escalation.

The Moroccan top diplomat presented a four-axes roadmap to address the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, emphasizing the need to spare no effort to achieve calm, put an immediate end to the fighting, and reduce the escalation through collective or individual action with international forces, aiming to protect civilians, prevent them from being targeted, and stop provocations and unilateral actions to avoid the situation from deteriorating and getting out of control.

In the same context, he stressed the importance of evaluating urgent health and humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip and the rest of the affected Palestinian territories, and planning an emergency meeting of the Arab Health Ministers Council to address these needs.

Bourita also called on the international parties sponsoring the peace process, including the International Quartet, to initiate genuine consultations to revive the peace process, develop a roadmap with practical objectives, including a timetable to start serious negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis to reach a final formula for a solution to the Palestinian issue in accordance with international and Arab references.

Furthermore, the Minister emphasized the importance of strengthening the negotiation capacity of Palestinian brothers by accelerating the national reconciliation process, ending discord, and prioritizing the supreme Palestinian interest. In this connection, he urged Egypt to continue its sustained efforts to achieve effective and lasting Palestinian reconciliation.