Crown Prince Abdullah addresses League of Arab States Summit in Beirut

Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz addressed the 14th Summit of the League of Arab States in Beirut, Lebanon, on March 27, and presented a historic initiative for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on normalization of relations between the Arab states and Israel in return for full withdrawal of Israel from occupied Arab territories.

Speaking of the suffering of the Palestinian people in the face of Israeli assaults, Crown Prince Abdullah told Arab leaders: “In spite of all that has happened, and what still may happen, the primary issue in the heart and mind of every person in our Arab and Islamic nation is the restoration of legitimate rights in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. These rights, which are bound to the cherished occupied lands, cannot be erased from memory, nor will the passage of time diminish their importance. Those who follow the intifadah [uprising] of our brothers in Palestine, which has the support of all Arabs and Muslims, realize that steadfastness will not wither, that bravery will not retreat, and that justice will prevail.”

Crown Prince Abdullah emphasized that it is therefore “incumbent on the Israeli government to realize and understand this and deal with it by embarking on a new path, and that is the path of peace.

“When the Arabs opted for peace as a strategic choice, they did not do so out of crippling desperation or debilitating weakness, and Israel is mistaken if it believes that it can impose an unjust peace by force. We embarked upon the peace process with open eyes and clear minds, and we have not accepted then, nor will we accept now, that this process is transformed into a non-binding obligation imposed by one party on the other.

“Peace is a free and voluntary choice made by two equal parties, and it cannot survive if it is based on oppression and humiliation. The peace process is based on a clear principle: land for peace. This principle is accepted by the international community as a whole and is embodied in United Nations Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, and was adopted by the Madrid Conference in 1991. It was confirmed by the resolutions of the European Community and other regional organizations and re-emphasized once more this month by Security Council Resolution 1397.”

Crown Prince Abdullah emphasized, “It is clear in our minds, and in the minds of our brethren in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, that the only acceptable objective of the peace process is full Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the return of refugees. Without moving toward this objective, the peace process is an exercise in futility and a play on words and a squandering of time which perpetuates the cycle of violence.”

He stressed, however, that the return to the negotiating table is a “meaningless endeavor, if the negotiations do not produce tangible and positive results, as has been the case for the past ten years.

“Allow me at this point to directly address the Israeli people, to say to them that the use of violence for more than fifty years has only resulted in more violence and destruction, and that the Israeli people are as far as they have ever been from security and peace, notwithstanding military superiority and despite efforts to subdue and oppress.

“Peace emanates from the heart and mind, and not from the barrel of a cannon or the exploding warhead of a missile. The time has come for Israel to put its trust in peace after it has gambled on war for decades without success. Israel, and the world, must understand that peace and the retention of the occupied Arab territories are incompatible and impossible to reconcile or achieve.

“I would further say to the Israeli people that if their government abandons the policy of force and oppression and embraces true peace, we will not hesitate to accept the right of the Israeli people to live in security with the people of the region.

“We believe in taking up arms in self-defense and to deter aggression. But we also believe in peace when it is based on justice and equity, and when it brings an end to conflict. Only within the context of true peace can normal relations flourish between the people of the region and allow the region to pursue development rather than war and destruction.”

Crown Prince Abdullah concluded his statement by saying: “In light of the above ... I propose that the Arab Summit put forward a clear and unanimous initiative addressed to the United Nations Security Council based on two basic issues:  normal relations and security for Israel in exchange for full withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories, recognition of an independent Palestinian state with al-Quds al-Shareef (East Jerusalem) as its capital, and the return of refugees.  At the same time, I appeal to all friendly countries throughout the world to support this noble humanitarian proposal which seeks to remove the danger of destructive wars and the establishment of peace for all the inhabitants of the region, without exception.”