President: Iran Will Do Its Best to Solve Palestinian Issue
August 12, 2000 - 0:0
TEHRAN Chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat heading a high-ranking delegation arrived here Thursday.
The Palestinian delegation was welcomed at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport by Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Arafat is to present a report on the latest developments in Palestine, to the current Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), President Mohammad Khatami of Iran.
Upon arrival at the airport Arafat said that the aim of his visit to Iran was to exchange views with the OIC chairman on the future of holy Qods and the latest Palestinian developments.
"We are victims of aggressions by the Zionists and their oppressive actions against the holy Qods," said Arafat, calling on the current chairman of the OIC to take an initiative in this regard.
Describing as "dead" the so-called Middle East peace talks, Arafat added that based on previous agreements the independent Palestinian state will be declared in September 2000.
Arafat met here on Thursday afternoon with the current Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), President Mohammad Khatami.
During the meeting, Arafat presented a report on the second Camp David talks to the Iranian president.
Stressing that the issue of Qods is a serious matter for the Islamic world, President Khatami said that Qods belongs to the whole Islamic world and the Palestinian nation as representative of world Muslims should keep this holy city.
Emphasizing that peace should be fair, President Khatami said justice demands that the whole Palestine be liberated first and then Muslims, Christians and Jews freely decide the fate of their own homeland.
The OIC chairman stressed that the current Middle East peace talks would practically get nowhere because a great number of Palestinians live as refugees abroad and there are many other Palestinians living inside Palestine who are also ignored.
President Khatami also pointed out: "We will take every possible action at our disposal to solve the issue of Palestine and Bait-ul-Moqaddas, although Bait-ul-Moqaddas is not something that could be swallowed by the aggressor enemy." In a separate meeting with Yasser Arafat on Thursday, Expediency Council (EC) Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said, the issues of the holy Qods and Palestine are not confined to a specific group rather belong to the whole Muslim world.
Rafsanjani said as long as the oppressed and homeless people of Palestine do not return to their motherland and control their destiny, the issue of Qods and the Islamic movement of Palestine would continue to exist.
EC chairman termed the Zionists as a group accustomed to aggression and occupation and added, " As the divine promise of victory materialized for the Lebanese brave fighters and the people of that country, the Palestinian people have undoubtedly no option but an extensive struggle against the occupiers to get their basic rights and drive away the occupiers".
Rafsanjani said experience shows that the Zionists do not believe in dialog as a way to administer justice for the Palestinians and that seeking a solution to the problem through political discussions without a serious struggle and Jihad ( holy war) would be useless.
Arafat termed the positions of Iran toward the Palestinian issue as principled and wise and said the occupying regime of Qods has so far shown in its discussions and positions that they do not wish to obey international laws and even the United Nations resolutions.
Chairman of the PA said the Israeli regime does not even observe the agreements reached in different discussions and only thinks of its own aggressive and expansionist objectives.
Arafat informed Rafsanjani on the outcome of the fruitless Camp David talks and the future plans of the PLO and said "We hope that the Islamic countries continue to support the Palestinian people in gaining their inalienable rights".
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said on Thursday the holy Qods is an Islamic site belonging to all Muslims.
In a meeting with Chairman of Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat, Kharrazi said, "No Muslim can allow the holy Qods to remain under occupation and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) will never let any deal to be made over the holy Qods. Any desecration of holy Qods will provoke the Muslim world." Kharrazi referring to the victory of Lebanese Islamic resistance movement over the Zionists said a new atmosphere has been created in the region.
He reiterated that the Palestinian nation deserves to achieve victory.
The Iranian foreign minister said the Muslim world possesses large-extent resources to support the Palestinian cause and self-reliance and self-confidence are needed to utilize the resources of the Muslim world to liberate holy Qods.
He said the nation of Palestine, the popular support and the support offered by the Muslim nations are determining factors and that the enemies cannot stand against the Muslim nations' resolve.
Kharrazi elaborated on the measures taken by the chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in support of Palestine and the holy Qods.
He said President Khatami has despatched a delegation to the Islamic states to coordinate support for Palestine and holy Qods adding that the OIC chairman expects the organization to play an effective role in connection with Palestine and the holy Qods.
"No doubt, the situation of Palestine and the holy Qods need a unified stand to liberate all occupied Palestinian territories including the holy Qods and transfer of embassies to the holy Qods and Judaization of the Muslim site should be strongly condemned," Kharrazi said.
Arafat briefed Kharrazi on the Middle East peace process and said Palestine and holy Qods not only belong to the Palestinian nation, but also to the entirety of the Muslim world.
The PA chief said Palestine and the holy Qods are exposed to the Zionists' dangerous plots and the Zionists have hatched "dangerous schemes" to destroy the sacred places of Muslims.
He appreciated the steps taken by the OIC chairman to encourage the Muslim world to support Palestine and the holy Qods.
Arafat said the Islamic Republic of Iran wields great power in the Muslim world and called for utilization of resources of the Muslim world by all the Muslim states to support Palestine.
Seen off by Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, Chairman of Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat and his entourage left Tehran on Thursday afternoon and headed for Moscow.
Meanwhile, representative of Palestine Islamic Jihad Movement Abu-Imad al-Rafaei said here Thursday that Iran's firm support for the Palestinian cause had consistently encouraged struggling Palestinian groups to continue their fight with the occupying Zionist entity.
The Islamic Jihad Movement official who was interviewed on the occasion of the visit to Tehran of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat said he was only trying to justify his setbacks and his concessions to the Zionist regime.
He said Yasser Arafat had ceded about 80 percent of the historical territories of Palestine, and added that it was likely that he might later on be tempted to pressure Iran as the current chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference into agreeing to a compromise with the Zionist regime at the cost of ceding Qods (to the Zionist regime).
Meanwhile, member of the Palestinian Studies Center in Lebanon Aqr abu-Fakhr told IRNA that Arafat's visit to Tehran was somewhat surprising. He said that Arafat had, perhaps, wanted to inform the Iranian authorities of certain secrets' in connection with the deadlocked Camp David-II talks.
Abu-Fakhr commented that as long as the Palestinian authority firmly insisted on its principled position and demanded the pull-back of the Zionist forces to the borders before the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, and on the repatriation of Palestinian refugees the Palestinians expected the Islamic Republic to support the position of the Palestinian authority.
He said the Palestinians appreciated the principled position of the Islamic Republic since 1979, and had a mutual feeling with Iran for fighting U.S. hegemony.
Abu-Fakhr commented that Arafat's visit to Tehran might perhaps bring the position of Iran and the PA closer together in connection with the Palestinian issue and thereby help Arafat to solve his differences with the new leadership in Syria.
(IRNA)
The Palestinian delegation was welcomed at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport by Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Arafat is to present a report on the latest developments in Palestine, to the current Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), President Mohammad Khatami of Iran.
Upon arrival at the airport Arafat said that the aim of his visit to Iran was to exchange views with the OIC chairman on the future of holy Qods and the latest Palestinian developments.
"We are victims of aggressions by the Zionists and their oppressive actions against the holy Qods," said Arafat, calling on the current chairman of the OIC to take an initiative in this regard.
Describing as "dead" the so-called Middle East peace talks, Arafat added that based on previous agreements the independent Palestinian state will be declared in September 2000.
Arafat met here on Thursday afternoon with the current Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), President Mohammad Khatami.
During the meeting, Arafat presented a report on the second Camp David talks to the Iranian president.
Stressing that the issue of Qods is a serious matter for the Islamic world, President Khatami said that Qods belongs to the whole Islamic world and the Palestinian nation as representative of world Muslims should keep this holy city.
Emphasizing that peace should be fair, President Khatami said justice demands that the whole Palestine be liberated first and then Muslims, Christians and Jews freely decide the fate of their own homeland.
The OIC chairman stressed that the current Middle East peace talks would practically get nowhere because a great number of Palestinians live as refugees abroad and there are many other Palestinians living inside Palestine who are also ignored.
President Khatami also pointed out: "We will take every possible action at our disposal to solve the issue of Palestine and Bait-ul-Moqaddas, although Bait-ul-Moqaddas is not something that could be swallowed by the aggressor enemy." In a separate meeting with Yasser Arafat on Thursday, Expediency Council (EC) Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said, the issues of the holy Qods and Palestine are not confined to a specific group rather belong to the whole Muslim world.
Rafsanjani said as long as the oppressed and homeless people of Palestine do not return to their motherland and control their destiny, the issue of Qods and the Islamic movement of Palestine would continue to exist.
EC chairman termed the Zionists as a group accustomed to aggression and occupation and added, " As the divine promise of victory materialized for the Lebanese brave fighters and the people of that country, the Palestinian people have undoubtedly no option but an extensive struggle against the occupiers to get their basic rights and drive away the occupiers".
Rafsanjani said experience shows that the Zionists do not believe in dialog as a way to administer justice for the Palestinians and that seeking a solution to the problem through political discussions without a serious struggle and Jihad ( holy war) would be useless.
Arafat termed the positions of Iran toward the Palestinian issue as principled and wise and said the occupying regime of Qods has so far shown in its discussions and positions that they do not wish to obey international laws and even the United Nations resolutions.
Chairman of the PA said the Israeli regime does not even observe the agreements reached in different discussions and only thinks of its own aggressive and expansionist objectives.
Arafat informed Rafsanjani on the outcome of the fruitless Camp David talks and the future plans of the PLO and said "We hope that the Islamic countries continue to support the Palestinian people in gaining their inalienable rights".
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said on Thursday the holy Qods is an Islamic site belonging to all Muslims.
In a meeting with Chairman of Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat, Kharrazi said, "No Muslim can allow the holy Qods to remain under occupation and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) will never let any deal to be made over the holy Qods. Any desecration of holy Qods will provoke the Muslim world." Kharrazi referring to the victory of Lebanese Islamic resistance movement over the Zionists said a new atmosphere has been created in the region.
He reiterated that the Palestinian nation deserves to achieve victory.
The Iranian foreign minister said the Muslim world possesses large-extent resources to support the Palestinian cause and self-reliance and self-confidence are needed to utilize the resources of the Muslim world to liberate holy Qods.
He said the nation of Palestine, the popular support and the support offered by the Muslim nations are determining factors and that the enemies cannot stand against the Muslim nations' resolve.
Kharrazi elaborated on the measures taken by the chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in support of Palestine and the holy Qods.
He said President Khatami has despatched a delegation to the Islamic states to coordinate support for Palestine and holy Qods adding that the OIC chairman expects the organization to play an effective role in connection with Palestine and the holy Qods.
"No doubt, the situation of Palestine and the holy Qods need a unified stand to liberate all occupied Palestinian territories including the holy Qods and transfer of embassies to the holy Qods and Judaization of the Muslim site should be strongly condemned," Kharrazi said.
Arafat briefed Kharrazi on the Middle East peace process and said Palestine and holy Qods not only belong to the Palestinian nation, but also to the entirety of the Muslim world.
The PA chief said Palestine and the holy Qods are exposed to the Zionists' dangerous plots and the Zionists have hatched "dangerous schemes" to destroy the sacred places of Muslims.
He appreciated the steps taken by the OIC chairman to encourage the Muslim world to support Palestine and the holy Qods.
Arafat said the Islamic Republic of Iran wields great power in the Muslim world and called for utilization of resources of the Muslim world by all the Muslim states to support Palestine.
Seen off by Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, Chairman of Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat and his entourage left Tehran on Thursday afternoon and headed for Moscow.
Meanwhile, representative of Palestine Islamic Jihad Movement Abu-Imad al-Rafaei said here Thursday that Iran's firm support for the Palestinian cause had consistently encouraged struggling Palestinian groups to continue their fight with the occupying Zionist entity.
The Islamic Jihad Movement official who was interviewed on the occasion of the visit to Tehran of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat said he was only trying to justify his setbacks and his concessions to the Zionist regime.
He said Yasser Arafat had ceded about 80 percent of the historical territories of Palestine, and added that it was likely that he might later on be tempted to pressure Iran as the current chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference into agreeing to a compromise with the Zionist regime at the cost of ceding Qods (to the Zionist regime).
Meanwhile, member of the Palestinian Studies Center in Lebanon Aqr abu-Fakhr told IRNA that Arafat's visit to Tehran was somewhat surprising. He said that Arafat had, perhaps, wanted to inform the Iranian authorities of certain secrets' in connection with the deadlocked Camp David-II talks.
Abu-Fakhr commented that as long as the Palestinian authority firmly insisted on its principled position and demanded the pull-back of the Zionist forces to the borders before the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, and on the repatriation of Palestinian refugees the Palestinians expected the Islamic Republic to support the position of the Palestinian authority.
He said the Palestinians appreciated the principled position of the Islamic Republic since 1979, and had a mutual feeling with Iran for fighting U.S. hegemony.
Abu-Fakhr commented that Arafat's visit to Tehran might perhaps bring the position of Iran and the PA closer together in connection with the Palestinian issue and thereby help Arafat to solve his differences with the new leadership in Syria.
(IRNA)