OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (PIC)– A ministerial delegation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) arrived in Norway as part of a series of visits the ministerial team will embark upon to several influential capital cities to mobilize support for the Palestinian cause.
The delegation headed by the Egyptian foreign minister Samih Shukry and comprising foreign ministers of Palestine Guinea a special envoy from the Azerbaijan foreign ministry and the Secretary General of the OIC met Thursday with the Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende according to OIC’s statement on Friday.
The OIC delegation briefed the Norwegian foreign minister on the Israeli violations and practices that foiled nearly a quarter of a century of peace talks.
The delegation pointed to Israel’s successive settlement and separation wall construction systematic Judaization plans and doubling the number of illegal settlers in the West Bank to 600000.
The ministerial delegation stressed the need that any future peace negotiations must be based on a specific time-frame and international guarantees.
The delegation had praised the close links and excellent relations between the Kingdom of Norway and the Muslim world. The delegates expressed appreciation for Norway’s historic stances and earnest efforts in support of Palestinians’ rights and its participation in the international efforts towards a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question.
The OIC ministerial delegation shed light on Israeli violations to Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem warning in the meantime that any Israeli attempt to target al-Aqsa Mosque could ignite a religious war in the area.
For his part the Norwegian foreign minister expressed his country’s readiness to continue its historic role in support of peace and stability in the region.
He stressed Norway’s support for the two-state solution and the Arab peace initiative saying that Israeli illegal settlement expansion would never be acceptable and would remain an obstacle to peace.
The delegation’s visit to Norway is part of the plan of action adopted by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on the cause of Palestine at the international arena.
