RIYADH, 6 October — Saudi Arabia and Morocco yesterday reaffirmed their stand on the issue of occupied Jerusalem and expressed concern over a recent US bill that recognized the city as Israel’s capital.
The two countries held a joint commission meeting co-chaired by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal and his Moroccan counterpart, Mohammed ibn Isa.
Prince Saud and Isa also emphasized the need to remove weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East and for international inspectors to be given access to Israel’s nuclear facilities.
Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, meanwhile, received a message from Moroccan King Mohammed VI delivered by Isa.
“The US bill is against UN Security Council Resolutions 252, 267, 271 and 298, which call for the protection of the legitimate and demographic position of Jerusalem,” the foreign ministers said..
“It contradicts Security Council Resolutions 465, 476 and 478, which nullify Israeli claims that Jerusalem is its unified capital.
The statement by Saudi and Moroccan ministers comes ahead of a meeting of an Arab League committee in Cairo on Tuesday called to discuss the new US bill, which demands that the US Embassy in Israel be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The committee is made up of selected Arab countries, including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen the Palestinian Authority and the secretary general of the 22-member Arab League, Amr Moussa.
The new US bill triggered outrage in the Arab and Muslim world, despite US President George W. Bush’s firm pledge that he would not honor it in practice.
The two ministers said the Iraqi government’s decision to allow the unconditional return of UN weapons inspectors could avoid a military confrontation in the region.
“A new war on Iraq would only increase the suffering of its people, threaten the country’s unity and undermine the security of the whole region,” they said.
The two sides reiterated their support for the Palestinians and their legitimate leadership and emphasized their right to establish an independent state.
They condemned the Israeli policy of economic blockade and its occupation of holy Islamic sites.
“The Arab peace plan endorsed by the Arab summit in Beirut provides the basis for signing a peace treaty with Israel in return for its total withdrawal from Arab territory,” they said.
