Maldives commitment and support towards the Palestinian cause is “unshakable”, declares Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid.

During his statement delivered at the Emergency Foreign Ministerial Conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Shahid, jointly with the other member states of the OIC, strongly condemned the recent announcement made by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who announced his intention “to impose Israeli sovereignty on all the regions of the Jordan Valley, the Northern Dead Sea, and the settlements in the West Bank” if he is to be re-elected to the post of PM, revealed the OIC via a statement.

Announcing that Maldives will extend its full support to the country during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, Shahid stated that votes will be cast accordingly on a number of resolutions, articulating this support.

Further, he went on to reiterate Maldives solidarity with the Palestinian statehood in realizing the absolute rights of its people, to self-determination and to oppose any illegal settlement activity that takes place in the occupied territories. He also urged to transfer countries diplomatic posts to the Holy City of Jerusalem.

While the extraordinary meeting was scheduled at the Saudi Kingdom’s request, it is being held to address the “serious” Israeli escalation following the Israeli PM’s declaration, deemed to be a “new aggression” on the rights of Palestinian people and a “blatant violation” of the UN charter. It focused on taking required, “urgent” political and legal steps to face the “aggressive stand” by Israel and to rally the efforts of Islamic countries though an emergency action plan to confront the issue, through “all possible courses”.

OIC urged international organizations to work together to compel Israel to stop all unilateral procedures, as void and bearing no legal effect under international law and relevant UN resolutions.

The Maldives delegation, led by FM Shahid was also joined by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel.