Cairo, July 18 (QNA) - The State of Qatar participated on Saturday in an international conference on Jerusalem, entitled "Jerusalem: The Frontline of Displacement and Annexation and the Key to Achieving a Just and Lasting Peace," held by the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP), in collaboration with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Cairo, Egypt.
Qatar's delegation to the conference was headed by Minister Plenipotentiary, Deputy Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Arab Republic of Egypt and Deputy Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States Maryam bint Ahmed Al Shibi.
Addressing ways to protect the unique multi-religious character of Jerusalem and its importance as a symbol of coexistence, the conference focused on the pressing challenges facing the Palestinian people in occupied East Jerusalem, including displacement, dispossession, and violence, placing these issues within the broader context of the occupied Palestinian territory, while emphasizing the importance of protecting the holy city, preserving the existing historical and legal status quo, and supporting the rights, presence, and sovereignty of Palestinians in Jerusalem.
The conference reaffirmed the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem as the foundation for achieving peace, stability, and interfaith coexistence. It also highlighted the restrictions on freedom of worship and the threats to holy sites, as well as the impact of Israeli policies, including settlement expansion, on the city's identity and the Palestinian presence there. It emphasized the international community's responsibilities under international law to preserve the cultural and religious character of Jerusalem.
Its agenda included two panel discussions that brought together religious leaders, policymakers, and experts on: Saving the holy city and protecting the historical status quo of the holy sites, and Preserving the Palestinian presence, rights, and sovereignty in Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian territory in the face of displacement policies and illegal settlement expansion. (QNA)