Daily Times

International Quds Day coincides with the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan – selected by Imam Khomeini on August 7, 1979, in support of the Palestinian nation and their cause, is regarded as a new chapter of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

International Quds Day is considered a manifestation of the Muslim unity to condemn the crimes and denounce the racist and anti-human characteristics of the Zionists, and a symbol of resistance. Undoubtedly, the installation of the unlawful and fake existence of the Zionist regime has turned out to be the most significant cause of western Asian instability and insecurity since 1948. The oppressed and resilient Palestinians, with reliance on the support of Muslims and the freedom-seekers in the world, have stood up against the great oppression and have baffled this fake regime with a series of Palestinian intifadas.

Throughout these years, three defining factors have made Palestine the most critical issue in the Muslim world. The nature of Palestine, its sanctity and role before followers of Islam, the nature of the Zionist enemy and its religious and historical claims, its dominance-seeking spirit, and the nature of the Western-Zionist coalition that seeks to create division among the Islamic Ummah. They seek to keep Islamic countries dependent on major powers.

The Zionist regime has carried out the most brutal measures such as collective punishments (the perpetrator of violations of the Palestinians’ “principle of self-determination”), blockade of Gaza, completion of retaining wall, expulsion and forced migration of over 5.7 million Palestinians, assassination of Palestinian commanders and fighters and other Arab and Islamic countries, destruction of agricultural lands in the Gaza Strip, attempts to implement the Judaism plan of Quds with the continuation of settlements, destruction of Palestinian houses, increased military-security presence and supervision over the East Jerusalem, the curfew of Palestinian citizens residing in Quds and revoking their ID cards, and the revocation of permanent residence permits of Palestinians residing in Quds (against the international laws and agreements, particularly Article 43 of the Hague Convention and the Fourth Geneva Convention), passing the “State-Nation of the Jewish People” law in the Knesset of the Zionist regime in 2018, the promotion of settlements, segregation of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, and Judaism of Jerusalem, the Golan. The regime is considered the main cause of constant insecurity in the region and the violation of the fundamental rights of Palestinians.

As usual, the Islamic Republic of Iran has spared no effort to support the legitimate rights of Palestine. According to the registered political and democratic initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran before the United Nations Secretariat, resolving the Palestinian issue, ending the occupation, and holding a referendum in the presence of the main inhabitants of the Palestinian territory and all the displaced persons is to determine the duty. Returning the Palestinian refugees to their homeland and holding a referendum among the original peoples of this land to determine the fate and type of political system in question is the most effective way to resolve the conflict. Under the initiative, Muslims, Jews, and Palestinian Christians would be able to choose the type of legal system governing their own destiny and enjoy their rights freely and equally. This initiative, which is based on the principles of democracy and international law accepted by all governments and nations, can certainly be a proper alternative to previous failed plans.

At the end of his memo, Amirabdollahian has called on all Iranians, the Muslims of the world, and the freedom-seekers to express their solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians with their magnificent presence at the international Quds Day ceremonies and rallies.

The writer is Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran.