King Mohammed VI of Morocco has called the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres to intercede with the US Administration to convince them to refrain from taking any action concerning the city of Jerusalem, given the serious implications that might entail for the future of peace and security in the region.
In a message he sent Wednesday to the UN Chief, King Mohammed VI voiced his concerns regarding the persistent news of the US Administration’s intention to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to transfer the Embassy of the United States of America to the holy city.
The King warned that “infringement of the internationally recognized legal and historical status of Jerusalem means one runs the risk of hurling the issue into the quagmire of religious and ideological conflict”.
Such a decision would also frustrate international efforts aimed at bringing about an atmosphere conducive to a resumption of peace negotiations and would ultimately lead to increased strife and tension and undermine all opportunities for peace, not to mention fuel violence and extremism, the monarch stated.
“My vision and that of all peace-lovers and peace-advocates around the world is based on safeguarding the status of Jerusalem as a city of peace and tolerance – one that is open to the followers of all revealed religions; in effect, a model of coexistence and of living together,” he pointed out.
The Monarch recalled that Jerusalem is a question that concerns the Palestinians – since it is part of their occupied land – as much as it does the Arab and Muslim world, given the fact that it is home to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, the First of the Two Qiblas and the Third Holiest Mosque. “In fact, it is a just cause for all peace-loving people since the city stands as a symbol for tolerance and inter-faith coexistence”.
Last July, the Moroccan King, in his capacity as Chairman of Al Quds Committee, an offshoot of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which comprises 57 countries representing over one billion citizens, had sent a letter to the UN Secretary General, drawing his attention to the Israeli authorities’ continuing and systematic violations in al-Quds and in al-Aqsa Mosque designed to impose new facts on the ground.
He had then called for swift measures to be taken to compel the Israeli government to respect the legal and historical status of al-Quds and the holy sites, and warned against the perils of turning the Palestinian-Israeli political dispute into a religious conflict.
On Tuesday, King Mohammed VI sent a message to President Donald Trump voicing his “deep concern and that of Arab and Muslim countries” over the U.S. administration plans regarding Jerusalem, an important city not only to the parties to the conflict, but also to the followers of the three revealed religions.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita Wednesday summoned the ambassadors of the permanent members of the UN Security Council. During the meeting that was attended by the ambassador of Palestine Jamal Choubki, Bourita insisted on the need for the Security Council permanent members to shoulder their full responsibility in preserving the legal and political status of Al-Quds and avoiding anything that might stir up conflicts and undermine stability in the region.
Bourita also recalled the initiatives and contacts undertaken by the King since the announcement of the US plans, and reiterated Morocco’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people so that they can recover their legitimate rights to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
