OIC calls for recognition of Palestine as independent state

A Palestinian woman waves her national flag as she participates in a march on Thursday, in the center of the West Bank city of Ramallah, to protest the 100th anniversary of Britain’s Balfour Declaration. (AFP)

RIYADH: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called on Britain and other countries to fully recognize Palestine as an independent state.
The statement was issued to mark the OIC’s displeasure at the British government’s intention to organize a celebration to mark Thursday’s centenary of the Balfour Declaration, which laid the foundations for the state of Israel on Palestinian territory.
Describing the declaration as “a heinous act,” the OIC condemned the anniversary’s commemoration, stating that the declaration has deprived Palestinians of their native land, and to celebrate that fact could only aggravate the already-tense situation in the occupied territories.
The OIC called on the UK government to face up to its historical, judicial, political and ethical responsibilities and, in partnership with the international community, to take positive steps to end the Israeli occupation and its illegal policies, practices and expansion plans.
The OIC’s statement also urged Britain to help the Palestinian people recover their legitimate national rights.
The OIC highlighted its support for the rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination, the right of return for refugees, and the right to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital.
The organization also pledged its support to international efforts to achieve comprehensive justice for Palestine under relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
The OIC also registered its appreciation of the Palestinian people for their steadfast dedication to their homeland, and their ongoing efforts to defend their land in the face of Israeli aggression.