In his speech at the inauguration of the 4th International Conference of Bait Al Maqdis, President Dr Mohamed Waheed has reaffirmed Maldives support for the establishment of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the lands occupied in the 1967 war.
He said while the Maldives support the Arab Peace Plan of 2002 and the recent efforts to revive it, he expressed hope for a positive outcome of the peace initiatives of the American government.
Highlighting the current momentum towards peace in the Middle East, the President said that for the first time in many years, the conflict was “ripe for resolution”.
“I therefore urge the leaders of Palestine and Israel, listen to what your people are saying and to find a lasting solution… Listen to those that suffer the consequences of enduring conflict. Your children want to grow up in positive, maturing communities, not ridden with fear, but ripe with opportunity”, he said.
He said the world has let down the Palestinian people, and added that the question of Palestine is not a Muslim or a Jewish problem but a human problem.
He said:
“It is not fair that Palestinian children should grow up without a country of their own? It will not help to establish lasting peace of the children have to grow up with suspicion and insecurity”.
