Amman, Oct. 19 (Petra) The Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union on Sunday lauded Jordan’s efforts, led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, in safeguarding and maintaining the holy sites in Jerusalem, rejecting all Israeli attempts to undermine Jordan’s Hashemite custodianship.

In its final statement issued at the conclusion of the extraordinary conference held in Geneva, the Union reaffirmed its support for the Jordanian Administration of the Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque Waqf in protecting the Al-Haram Al-Sharif from violations and assaults by Israeli authorities. It reiterated that the Hashemite custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem is a historic right recognized by all nations.

The statement strongly rejected any tampering with the legal status quo in Jerusalem, stressing the city’s symbolism as the cradle of divine messages and the capital of religions.

The Union welcomed the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, describing the Gaza Agreement as a triumph of the will for peace and dialogue over the logic of war. It expressed hope that the deal would help restore security and stability in the Palestinian territories and pave the way toward a comprehensive and just peace in the region.

It also called on Israel to fully comply with all provisions of the Gaza Agreement, foremost among them a complete withdrawal from the Strip, and commended international mediation efforts and Arab initiatives that helped achieve the accord.

The statement reaffirmed support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy, urging the delivery of adequate humanitarian aid to Gaza and calling for an international investigation into war crimes, massacres, and acts of genocide committed by Israel, with accountability for those responsible.

The Union underscored the need for a unified Arab stance on regional developments to enhance the Arab world’s weight on the international stage, achieve the aspirations of Arab peoples for unity and integration, and strengthen cooperation and solidarity to confront shared challenges and protect collective interests.

Senate President Faisal Al-Fayez delivered a speech at the conference, which convened to address the grave and accelerating developments in the Arab world and the political, security, and economic challenges it faces, as well as plots aimed at destabilizing it.

Al-Fayez said Arab states must not remain an arena for regional and international power struggles, nor should the region’s future remain hostage to external actors, according to a statement by the Senate.

He urged the Arab Parliamentary Union to play a stronger role in promoting Arab solidarity, ending conflicts in several Arab countries, and resolving political crises and divisions.

Welcoming the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Al-Fayez said it represented an important step that should lead to ending the war and halting Israeli aggression.

He added that the time has come for the Palestinian people to enjoy peace, stability, and freedom, and for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza without restrictions. He commended the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as those of Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkiye, in helping to broker the agreement.

Al-Fayez called on the international community to support the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which has received Arab and international endorsement, through concrete and effective measures that compel Israel to fully implement its terms.

He stressed that international support is also needed to stop the war against the Palestinian people, address the catastrophic consequences of Israeli aggression, uphold the Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites, and halt settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

He urged concerted international efforts to deliver immediate and sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza to end the famine facing its population.

Al-Fayez reiterated his rejection of Israel’s expansionist and aggressive policies and voiced full support for Qatar’s security, condemning the recent "sinful" act of aggression against it.

He affirmed full solidarity with Syria and Lebanon in defending their security and with Sudan and Libya in preserving their unity, supporting all political steps aimed at restoring stability and ending cycles of violence.

He denounced Israel’s "brutal" aggression against the Palestinian people and expressed unwavering support for all efforts by the Arab Parliamentary Union to deter Israel from continuing its hostile practices. He also reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment to all initiatives that strengthen Arab solidarity and resolve political disputes and crises.

The conference was attended by Senators Mohammad Al-Ississ, Hael Obeidat, Mahasen Al-Jaghoub, Ammar Al-Qudah, and Asia Yaghi, as well as Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and international organizations in Switzerland, Ambassador Akram Al-Harashah.

//Petra// AF