11. The Heads of State or Government stressed that Israel ’s ongoing unilateral measures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory , including East Jerusalem, gravely threaten the prospects for achieving a negotiated settlement based on the two-State solution, and expressed their complete rejection of its declared intentions to impose its unlawful unilateral plans in the West Bank . They reaffirmed that such plans are unlawful, unacceptable and cannot alter the terms of reference of the peace process begun in Madrid nor negate the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

12. The Heads of State or Government reiterated their hope that the international community and the Quartet will exert all efforts during this critical period to revive the peace process and to salvage the Road Map and promote its implementation towards ending the occupation of the Palestinian Territory that was occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem, and thus realizing the two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the right of all states and peoples in the region to live in peace and security. In this connection, the Heads of State or Government stressed the continued relevance of the Arab Peace Initiative adopted by the Arab Summit in Beirut in March 2002, emphasizing the importance of the recent call by the Arab Summit in Khartoum in March 2006 to reinvigorate the Arab Peace Initiative, and called for the exertion of all necessary efforts in that direction.

13. In this regard, the Heads of State or Government called upon the Security Council to assume its responsibilities to compel Israel to respect international law and put an end to Israel’s occupation and illegitimate and illegal practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including placing collective punishment and unilateral sanctions over the Palestinian people and economy, and the illegal construction of settlements and the Wall which is aimed at confiscating and annexing Palestinian land and property and altering the demographic and geographic character of the Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.

14. The Heads of State or Government called on the Quartet specifically to remain actively engaged with the Palestinian and Israeli sides to bring about a resumption of direct and substantial negotiations between the two sides and to encourage immediate positive steps on the ground, on the basis of the Road Map, in order to promote a genuine resumption of the peace process towards the achievement of its stated aims and goals. In this regard, the Heads of State or Government welcomed the call by President Abbas for immediate negotiations on final status issues with Israel , the occupying Power. Moreover, the Heads of State or Government urged the Quartet to engage the Security Council, considering the Council’s Charter authority and responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security. In this context, they reaffirmed the permanent responsibility of the United Nations, including the General Assembly and the Security Council, towards the question of Palestine until it is resolved in all its aspects on the basis of international law, including a just resolution to the plight of the Palestine refugee in accordance with General Assembly resolution 194 of 11 December 1948.

15. The Heads of State or Government reiterated their conviction that a vital role should continue to be played by the Movement vis-à-vis the question of Palestine and entrusted the Chair, assisted by the Committee on Palestine, to lead the efforts of the Movement with regard to the pursuit of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region. The Heads of State or Government also reiterated their appreciation to the members of the NAM Caucus of the Security Council for their continuous efforts concerning the question of Palestine and called upon them to remain actively involved. They also stressed the importance of ongoing contacts and dialogue by the Movement at the Ministerial level with the members of the Quartet, the permanent members of the Security Council and other relevant parties in the peace process in order to convey the principled positions of the Movement and to advance efforts aimed at promoting the peace process on the basis of its terms of reference and at ensuring respect for international law, the keys to a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

16. The Heads of State or Government also expressed their support in this connection for the recent call by President Abbas for the convening of an urgent international conference on the conflict and strongly urged the United Nations to convene an international conference on the Middle East to deliberate on a comprehensive, just and durable plan for the region based on the relevant United Nations resolutions, with the involvement of Permanent Members of the Security Council and other interested parties, including NAM Member States. In addition, the Heads of State or Government once again underscored the importance of the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society and peace groups in the region and encouraged their continuing work, particularly on the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

17. The Heads of State or Government reaffirmed their strong commitment to continue supporting the Palestinian people and their leadership to bring an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, in accordance with the rules and principles of international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, and by accordingly reaffirming their commitment to a just and peaceful solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to the right of the Palestinian people to exercise self-determination and sovereignty in their independent State of Palestine, on the basis of the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Havana, Cuba
September 2006