April 19, 2006: Iran: IRNA Carries Final Communique of International Qods Conference in Tehran

The 3rd International Conference on Qods and Support for the Rights of Palestinian People ended on Sunday night (15 April) and a statement was issued which was read by Hoseyn Shaykholeslam, MP and the head of the committee for drawing up the statement.

The participants of the conference, once again, expressed their support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the creation of appropriate means for rendering official and popular assistance to Palestinian people, including the establishment of a special fund, the enhancement of current funds, specially the Al-Aqsa one, to be managed by the Islamic Development Bank.

The full text of the communique is as follows:

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

At the invitation of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, the third international conference in support of the Palestinian intifadah was held in Tehran on 25-27 Farvardin 1385 (15-17 Rabi ul-Avval 1427, 14-16 April 2006) under the title of "International Conference on Al- Qods and Support for the Rights of Palestinian People". The Islamic Consultative Majlis hosted the conference which was attended by speakers, delegates from national and consultative legislative assemblies, ulema, scholars and scientific, cultural and political figures, and holy warriors (mojaheds) from different countries of the world.

The Conference was held in Tehran for the purpose of extending full support to the rights of Palestinian people and protecting sacred sites, especially Qods.

The participants in the conference reviewed current developments in the region in light of the prevailing international circumstances. They particularly noted the escalation of cruel pressure exerted on the Palestinian people and declared their solidarity and full support for their resistance in facing the Zionist usurpers until their full rights are restored. They also sympathized with the pains and suffering of the innocent Palestinian people, and while remembering the memories of the martyrs of Palestine underlined on the following points:

1. The Conference underscores that the Palestinian cause is pivotal for the Arabs and the Muslim ummah and it is the duty of both Arab and Muslim ummah to support the people of Palestine who are in the vanguard of the ummah in the struggle for the liberation of Palestine.

2. The Conference considers the Zionist regime currently in Palestinian territory as usurper, inadmissible, non-native and foreign to the fabric of Arab and Islamic region, and legally and legitimately has no right of existence.

3. The Conference regards the brave and sacred resistance of Palestinians which is in keeping with their natural and historical rights and based on international treaties and customs as a firm, understandable and legitimate response to the occupation and racist and expansionist policies of the Zionist regime. While praising the struggle of the Palestinian people for freedom, the participants call on the international community and all Muslim and freedom-loving governments and nations to help the Palestinian people in their struggle to achieve their inalienable and legitimate rights.

4. Stressing the individual, collective, natural, legal and inalienable rights of Palestinian refugees for returning to their home and their ancestral lands from which they were evicted forcibly, the conference condemns the Zionist and international plot for permanent and forcible settlement of Palestinians outside their homeland. Protesting against this plot, the conference stresses the need for withstanding it and encourages host countries of Palestinian refugees, until the vindication of the refugees' right of return to Palestine, to provide them with appropriate conditions so that they can enjoy the fruits of human rights and an honourable life.

5. The conference stresses and supports the inalienable right of Palestinians to establish an independent state with full sovereignty with Qods as its capital.

6. The conference supports the January 2006 democratic elections of the Palestinian people and the government formed subsequently ' the soundness and transparency of which are endorsed by the world community - and regards any political or economic action against this government as unlawful. It also rejects all actions and pressure aimed at punishing the Palestinian people, keeping them hungry and trampling on their right of electing their own leaders and representatives.

Calling on all nations and countries of the Arab and Islamic world, as well as the free world to support spiritually and materially the Palestinian nation and its new government, the conference asks them to create appropriate means, coordinate their actions with the Palestinian government and render official and popular assistance by establishing a special fund and enhancing current funds, specially the Al-Aqsa fund, under the management of the Islamic Development Bank.

7. For the purpose of ending the situation whereby the Palestinians always remain in the state of needing to receive financial help, the conference calls on all Arab and Islamic countries to encourage their import and export agencies to buy goods and products of Palestinians. This will contribute to the economic growth and development of Palestine, improve the livelihood of Palestinians and helped them to withstand the current siege.

8. The conference strongly condemns the actions of the Zionist regime in trying to change the geographical and population configuration and the Arab and Islamic architecture of Qods and its judicization. Strongly condemning the excavation work under the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the building of townships and wall in this holy city and its vicinity, and the Zionist regime's frequent threats against Christian and Islamic sanctities, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of Resurrection, the conference stresses the totality of the holy Qods as the capital of undivided Palestine and declares that Palestine, Qods and its sanctity are not negotiable.

In this connection, the conference strongly condemns the decision of some countries for establishing diplomatic relations with the Zionist regime at Qods and warns against the consequences of such decisions.

The conference also calls on all Muslims to rely on the principle of jihad for the liberation of Qods from the claws of Zionist enemy and the transformation of the city to a centre for the confluence of civilizations and religions.

9. The conference vehemently condemns the actions of the Zionist regime in building the apartheid at the expense of gabbing more Palestinian lands and their judicization which meant the confiscation of Palestinian agricultural lands and the destruction of their houses and therefore seriously threatening the daily life of the Palestinian people. The conference expects the world community and international organizations to exert pressure on the Zionist regime and impose the collective international will in this respect which has manifested itself in the resolution of the UN General Assembly and the verdict of the International Court about the unlawfulness of the apartheid wall and the need for its destruction.

10. The conference condemns the action of the Zionist regime for the construction of new Jewish township which has been achieved by resorting to force and terrorism. The conference calls on international organizations to do their best to prevent these aggressions against the Palestinian lands, halt the construction of new townships, put a stop to the development of (current) townships and finally dismantle all of them.

11. The conference strongly condemns the unending crimes and aggressions of the usurper Zionist regime against the defenceless people of Palestine, the killing and incarceration and eviction of (Palestinian) citizens and members of resistance groups as well as political and government officials. It also condemns the destruction of homes and farms and the torture of over 9,000 Palestinian detainees who are kept in inhuman and very cruel conditions. The encircling of the entire Palestinian nation, a clear manifestation of terrorist acts by this criminal regime, is crime against humanity and flies in the face of all international resolutions and conventions. The conference strongly condemns these acts and strongly calls on international organizations, especially the UN Security Council, to carry out their legal duties to remedy and end the oppression against the Palestinian people, and prevent the Zionist regime from threatening peace and international security.

12. The participants of the conference salute the (Palestinian) detainees that are kept in prisons of the Zionist regime, some of whom are the representatives of the Palestinian nation. The participants call for the unconditional release of all detainees from the Zionists' claws.

13. The Conference calls on the parliamentarians, lawyers, defence attorneys, human rights organizations, groups and societies that support the rights of Palestine to issue warrants of arrest and commence legal proceedings against political and military officials of Israel at the international courts and the courts of different countries, especially in the European countries.

The Conference also condemns the war crime committed by attacking Ariha Prison by the forces of the Zionist regime in open and flagrant collaboration with the US and the UK which led to the abduction of the combatant secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Ahmad Saadat, and his fellow combatants and Maj-Gen Fuad al-Shobaki. Therefore, the conference supports all legal and political efforts to secure the release of these abductees and demands that complaints be filed against the governments of the United States and Britain and those responsible for the crime be tried in a court of law.

14. The conference regards as main threat for the regional and international peace and security, the military policy of the Zionist regime and its stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear arms and the commitment of America in maintaining the military supremacy of Israel. The conference calls on international organizations, especially the International Atomic Energy Agency, to take appropriate measures for the disarmament of the regime.

15. The conference denounces the double-standard policies of the United States and its allies towards world affairs and those of the Middle East, including their support for the Zionist regime which undermines the most basic aspects of human rights. The conference condemns the extensive political, economic, military and security support of Israel by the US and it s allies and in this connection asks the freedom-loving governments and nations of the world to direct all their efforts at changing the unjust behaviour of these countries (Us and its allies).

16. The conference stresses the revival of the UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 ratified in 1975 that considers Zionism as a form of racism.

17. Respecting humanity and followers of all religions, the conference condemns the killing of human beings prompted by any form of racial or religious motives. Meanwhile in respect of the Holocaust ' apart from historical facts of the Holocaust about which historians and researchers should express their views ' the Zionist regime's exploitation of this issue for blackmailing the world and subjecting the people of Palestine to most despicable forms of persecution and horrifying mass killing, and occupying their land and rendering them homeless, have no rational and realistic links. In fact this can be regarded as the incineration of the Palestinian nation which is a real and living example of genocide and the annihilation of all members of a nation in the contemporary era.

18. The incomplete withdrawal of the Zionist regime from the Gaza Strip which was achieved due to decades of jihad and steadfastness of the Palestinian nation and the holy Al-Aqsa intifadah, conveyed this message to everyone that faith and strong will can overcome force and weapons of occupiers. This development which occurred after the victorious liberation of south Lebanon, indicates the beginning of the downfall of the regime occupying Qods and heralds the victory of the Palestinian people in the future. The conference condemns the excessive claim of the Zionist regime and its international supporters predicted on the continuation of pressure on the countries in the region for giving concessions to the regime and normalizing their relations with it (Israel) for its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

19. The conference rejects the Olmert Plan which is called "unilateral separation plan". The purpose of this plan, as stated by the Zionist regime, is to have the control about 60 per cent of the lands in the West Bank and its division into small parts and the completion of the judicization process of Al-Qods, the separation of the West Bank from its Arabic environment and the threatening of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties. This is in line with the belittling of the cause of Palestine and the imposition of defeat on Arab and Muslim ummah in Palestine.

20. The conference calls on Islamic and Arab countries to implement ratifications of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League that refer to rendering support to the Palestinian people.

21. Supporting the efforts of the Palestinian people and different (Palestinian) groups for national harmony and solidarity, and the reconstruction of the Palestinian Liberation Organization based on political and democratic foundations and changing it into an organization for neutralizing the enemy's plot aimed at creating division and dispute and breaking the solid ranks of Palestinians, the conference calls on all Palestinians to do their best for the preservation of valuable achievements of Intifadah and their own steadfastness.

22. By encouraging countries to establish diplomatic, political, cultural and trade links with the regime (Israel), the Zionist enemy together with the United States is trying hard to infiltrate the rank of our opposition and resistance. Therefore, the conference calls on nations to take an account of the slogan of "Israel is an absolute evil and association with it is haram (religiously forbidden)" and make it a continuing one. Because any link or association with the enemy gives it legitimacy and will be tantamount to a dagger in the heart of intifadah and the jihad of the Palestinian people, and like perfidy to God, country, honour and the blood of martyrs.

23. The conference calls on universities and scientific, technological and research centres of the world to boycott the universities of the Zionist regime that scientifically and technologically develop the means of oppression and killing of the Palestinian nation.

24. The conference asks the Islamic countries to make active their governments for a joint Islamic cooperation in the context of a coherent strategy aimed at protecting the interests of Islamic countries, particularly the Palestinian nation. The conference also calls on governments of Islamic countries to change the Organization of the Islamic Conference into an Islamic union.

25. The conference condemns the pressure exerted on Lebanon for the disarmament of resistance (groups) and supports the resistance and collective jihad of Lebanese groups, particularly Hezbollah, against the Zionist occupiers which are aimed at supporting Lebanon, liberating the remaining parts of this country, including Sha'ba farms and securing the freedom of detainees in the Zionist enemy's prison as well as trying to resolve the issue surrounding Imam Musa Sadr and two of his companions. The ideals of Palestine was held in the imam's heart and engraved in his soul and he took account of them in all aspects of his jihad.

26. Declaring its solidarity with Syria which is facing pressure for defending its national rights, the conference supports the stance of Syria towards the Zionist regime and stresses the need for ending the occupation of all Syrian territory (by Israel). Moreover, the conference strongly condemns the unlawful actions of the Zionist enemy in building townships in this territory and undermining the rights of Syrian citizens in the area.

27. Stressing the need for ending the occupation of Iraq by foreign forces and the importance of safeguarding the territorial integrity, independence, full sovereignty and national unity of Iraq, the conference underlines the need for a speedy formation of a popular and all-enveloping government based on the result of the 2005 elections.

The participants of the conference considered the (spilling of) Iraqi blood haram and underlined the need for avoiding religiously-based sedition. They condemned all acts of terrorism and disrespect for religious sanctities.

The conference stresses its support for resistance against foreign occupiers and lauds the sincere efforts of all sources of emulation and religious and political leaders of Iraq for encouraging the people for unity and national harmony.

The conference also raises alarm about the presence and infiltration of Zionists in Iraq and considers the presence of foreign occupiers in this country a source of instability and added insecurity. The conference stressed the right of the Iraqi nation to adopt appropriate measures to end the occupation and refer the affairs of the country to Iraqis.

28. Congratulating the scientists of the Islamic republic for completing the uranium enrichment cycle, the participants of the conference regarded this achievement as an achievement of the ummah and they condemned all efforts that are made for denying Iran from (enjoying) its natural right and gaining access to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

29. The conference condemns the insult of some countries to the most generous presence of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It also condemns the Zionist attacks against Islamic and Christian sanctities which started with (attacks on) Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of Resurrection.

Moreover, the conference condemns criminal attacks against the holy shrine of Samarrah and mosques and considers them against Islam, and calls on unity (of Muslims) for protecting religious sanctities and preventing insults against prophets.

30. The conference salutes those nations who support ideals and freedom (of others), especially those of the Palestinian people. The (past) two conferences send them greetings to Asian, African, European, North American, Latin American and Oceanic nations, especially those nations who sent their delegations to the 3rd International Conference on Qods and Support for the Rights of Palestinians.

31. The conference calls on all countries to help in any way they can the hard-done-by people of Palestine. It asks them to organize non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to support the rights of Palestinians and strengthen their activities.

32. Thanking the secretariat of the conference, the participants charge it with the responsibility of forming a permanent committee, comprising of some representatives and figures attending the conference, to implement the ratification of the conference, establish continuing contact with members of the conference and respective sources and organizations.

34. Also, two working groups namely Qods and al-Aqsa were formed on the sideline of the conference for pursuing the Palestinian refugees' right of return and the latest development in Palestine. Members of the groups made up of experts, personalities and researchers in the process of 10 sessions in a period of two days put forward recommendations about the (above-mentioned) issues. The recommendations were considered as documents of the conference.

35. Saluting the soul of the late Imam Khomeyni (may his soul be sanctified), the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and his important action for the support of Palestinians and Qods, especially his declaration of the International Day of Qods on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, the conference thanks the extensive efforts of the leader (Ayatollah Khamene'i), the government, the Iranian nation and the Islamic Consultative Majlis for supporting the rights of Palestinians.

Profusely thanking His Eminence Ayatollah Khamene'i, the leader of the Islamic revolution, for opening the conference, the participants regarded the leader's speech as one of the main documents of the conference. The participants also thanked President (Ahmadinezhad) for attending and delivering a speech at the opening session of the conference.

(Description of Source: Tehran IRNA (Internet Version-WWW) in Persian -- official state-run news agency)