DECLARATION ON PALESTINE: COMMEMORATION OF THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF BANDUNG CONFERENCE

COMMEMORATION OF THE 60^th ANNIVERSARY OF BANDUNG CONFERENCE & THE 10^th ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW ASIAN-AFRICAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

1. We, the leaders of the Asian and African countries remain committed to the principie of self- determination as set forth in the Final Communiquéof the Bandung Conference in 1955, and in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. We deplore the fact that sixty years since the Bandung Conference, the Palestinian people remain deprived of their rights, freedom and independence, and that millions of Palestinians are still living under occupation and as refugees, and that this historic injustice continues.
2. We, in the spirit of Asian African solidarity, pay tribute to the resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the face of the illegal Israeli occupation, and reaffirm our full support of the just struggle of the Palestinian people to regain their inalienable right to self- determination, including the realization of the sovereignty and independence of their State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 4 June 1967 borders and relevant United Nations resolutions, as set out in the two-State solution.
3. We stress that the only viable solution to the israeli-Palestinian conflict is an agreement, which ends the illegal Israeli occupation that began in 1967, resolves all permanent status issues – Palestine refugees, Jerusalem, settlements, borders, security and water- and justly fulfils the inalienable rights and legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinian people. We further reaffirm that a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is imperative for achieving peace and security in the region.
4. We commend the formation of the Palestinian National Consensus Government and support the plans to hold presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible. We stress that consolidating Palestinian reconciliation and unity is important for attaining an independent, viable and democratic Palestine, and we commend efforts exerted by the Palestinian National Consensus Government in that regard. We recognize also the importance of Palestine’s commitment to and respect for international law, as reaffirmed in the recent accessions to several international conventions and treaties.
5. We are deeply concerned that the mediated negotiations between Israel and Palestine have reached a deadlock. We are dismayed that, for more than two decades, the negotiations were undermined by illegal policies and practices of Israel, the occupying Power, namely through the construction of more illegal settlements and the creation of more de facto realities on the ground in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, thus obstructing the physical viability and implementation of the two-State solution and realization of the independence of the Palestinian State.
6. We emphasize the imperative for all parties to refrain from any unlawful or negative actions, which may hinder the resumption of negotiations and undermine the prospects for achieving a peaceful solution. We urge the resumption of meaningful negotiations, based on clear parameters in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid principles and the Arab Peace Initiative, aimed at bringing to a complete end, without delay, the Israeli occupation of ail territories that began in1967.
7. We strongly deplore the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip in July – August 2014, which caused the tragic loss of Palestinian lives, the majority being civilians, including hundreds of children and women; massive destruction of homes and vital civilian infrastructure; widespread trauma to the civilian population; and the dramatic deterioration of socio-economic and humanitarian conditions of the Palestinian citizens in the Gaza Strip. We commend the efforts exerted by Egypt and other countries to reach a ceasefire on 26 August 2014 and other similar initiatives, and call for respect of the ceasefire agreement. We stress the obligation of all parties to protect civilians in situations of armed conflict in accordance with international humanitarian law.
8. We appeal for the rapid and full disbursement of pledges made at the Cairo Conference on Palestine: Reconstructing Gaza to alleviate the humanitarian disaster and support urgently needed economic recovery and reconstruction. Moreover, in this regard, we call for a lifting of the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip and ensuring the free, sustained and regular movement of persons and goods and access to economic resources, humanitarian assistance, and the necessary building materials for the reconstruction of homes, vital civilian infrastructure and civilian properties in Gaza. We also call on Israel to cease its withholding of Palestinian tax revenues, which is a violation of past agreements and commitments and which seriously undermines Palestinian development and the effective functioning of national institutions and civil services.
9. We firmly call on Israel, the occupying Power, to fully and effectively respect the Fourth Geneva Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. We welcome, in this regard, the recent Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention and call for serious follow-up efforts. We also remind the occupying Power of its obligation to respect international law In the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, in a way, which fully takes into account the needs of the civilian population and notably preserves its demographic characteristics and stop all attempts to alter identity of the holy city.
10. We also call on Israel to end its irresponsible acts, incitement and provocations in East Jerusalem, particularly towards Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites, which are a blatant contradiction with the international law and the international humanitarian law and are inflaming tensions and threaten peace and security in the region and beyond. We call on the international community to take all possible measures to preserve and protect the sanctity of all religious holy places in Jerusalem and to ensure unhindered access and freedom of worship.
11. We commend the efforts exerted by H. M. King Abdullah II of Jordan the custodian of the holy sites of East Jerusalem “As reflected in the custodian Agreement between H. M. King Abdullah II of Jordan and H. E. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine in March 2013″ in safeguarding and maintaining the aforementioned sites.
12. We commend the efforts made by H. M. The King Mohammed VI, President of the Al-Quds Committee with regard to the preservation of the cultural identity of Al-Quds Al-Sharif or Holy City of Jerusalem as a symbol of peace and intercultural coexistence, and the diplomatic action in different forums to urge the international community to fully shoulder its responsibility with respect to the Palestinian cause.
13. We commend the capacity-building programs provided by the countries of Asia and Africa to support the development and strengthening of Palestinian national institutions, which are vital for a viable Palestinian Government. We call for further enhancement of those capacity building programs through bilateral, triangular and South-South Cooperation based on the needs and development priorities of the Palestinian people, aimed at ensuring sustainable economic and social progress for the future of Palestine.
14. We commend the sustained    solidarity, commitment and continued support of theinternational community for the infrastructure reconstruction, capacity-building as well asbusiness development programs for Palestine through, among other means, the NAASP Capacity Building for Palestine, “Corridor for Peace and Prosperity” initiative, the Conference on Cooperation Among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD), as well as the Cairo Conference on Palestine 2014. We also commend the support and contribution provided by the Indonesian Government on the capacity building program for Palestine for the period of 2014-2019.
15. We call for continued efforts to support and assist the Palestinian people in the realization of their right to self-determination, independence and freedom without delay. We express the hope that Palestine’s application for full membership in the United Nations will be considered favorably. In light of the latest recognitions of the State of Palestine by a number of countries and Parliaments, we encourage or call upon the countries, which have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so to  nsure that the freedom and independence of all Asian and African nations are comprehensive and complete.(R05/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)