NEW YORK, April 21, 2010 (WAFA)- The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Group strongly condemned the latest illegal and provocative Israeli measure against the Palestinian civilian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Al-Quds Al-Shareef (East Jerusalem).
A statement issued by the OIC Group at the ambassadorial level at UN in New York said: A recent Israeli military order threatens the deportation of thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank who are deemed by the occupying Power to allegedly be 'infiltrating' or 'residing illegally' in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This illegal Israeli military order will have vast implications on the population, and especially targets Palestinians bearing Gaza Strip identifications, Palestinian Jerusalemites, Palestinian expatriates and international citizens living in the West Bank.
The OIC Group said it is alarmed that the implementation of such a measure by the occupying Power would further threaten the demographic presence and contiguity of the Palestinian people in their homeland. Thus the OIC Group considers such an action to constitute yet another measure in the overall illegal Israeli campaign to alter the demographic composition, status and Palestinian Arab character of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Al-Quds Al-Shareef. Such an Israeli measure should therefore be unequivocally condemned along with the firm condemnation of ongoing Israeli settlement activities, Wall construction, confiscation of Palestinian land and property, home demolitions, evictions and residency permit revocations, all of which aim to create illegal facts on the ground to prejudge the final outcome of any peace negotiations and which are sabotaging the regional and international efforts to realize the two-State solution.
The OIC Group stressed that this Israeli military order constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law, including a grave breach of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. This military order also constitutes a violation of the numerous relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 607 (1988), 608 (1988), 636 (1989), 641 (1989), 681 (1990), 694 (1991), 726 (1992) and 799 (1992).
The OIC Group urged the international community, especially the Security Council, to uphold its responsibilities with regard to this serious matter. Urgent action must be taken to bring a halt to this and all other illegal Israeli practices against the Palestinian civilian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. The occupying Power must be compelled to rescind this order and to desist from the deportation of Palestinian civilians from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Al-Quds Al-Shareef, under any pretext. The international community must also act to compel Israel, the occupying Power, to immediately cease all other violations including, inter alia, it is illegal settlement campaign in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around Occupied East Jerusalem, its incessant tampering with or altering of Palestinian religious or heritage sites.
The OIC Group reiterated its call for an end to the illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territory and all other Arab territories occupied since 1967 and for the realization by the Palestinian people of their inalienable right to self-determination in their independent State of Palestine, with Al-Quds Al-Shareef as its capital, and the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, including a just solution for the plight of the Palestine refugees in accordance General Assembly resolution 194.
The OIC Group decided to remain seized on this matter.
