Cairo, Egypt – The Arab League has affirmed that the issue of Palestinian refugees represents the fundamental and core pillar of the Palestinian cause, emphasizing that the right of return is a constant, inherent, and legal right that is not subject to a statute of limitations. This right is clearly based on international legitimacy resolutions, foremost of which is UN Resolution 194. These statements coincided with the launch of the 115th session of the Conference of Supervisors of Palestinian Affairs in Arab Host Countries, hosted in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Constants of the Palestinian Cause Amidst Current Developments
Ambassador Dr. Faed Mustafa, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Palestine and Occupied Arab Territories Sector at the Arab League, explained that the convening of this conference comes at a highly critical time, given the dangerous and tragic developments taking place in the occupied Palestinian territories. Ambassador Mustafa pointed to the catastrophic repercussions of the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip and the accelerating pace of illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank. He affirmed that the refugee issue will always remain at the top of the joint Arab action agenda, and that under no circumstances can this right be diminished or bypassed.
Supporting UNRWA and the Need for Arab and International Action
In a related context, Ambassador Mustafa stressed the utmost importance of continuing to provide comprehensive support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). He described the agency as the vital and essential artery for providing humanitarian and relief services to millions of refugees, calling for the necessity of enhancing Arab and international diplomatic action to defend the rights of Palestinian refugees in all global forums and to protect the agency’s mandate from any targeting.
The conference, which brings together representatives of Arab host countries and relevant organizations, discusses the living and service conditions of the refugees, in addition to monitoring and following up on issues of settlement, migration, and the existential challenges facing the Palestinian people at the current stage.
Call to End the Occupation and Establish a State: Through the conference, the Arab League reiterated its firm position on the necessity of completely ending the Israeli occupation and materializing the independence of a sovereign Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The League considered that achieving this goal, along with guaranteeing the right of return for refugees, is the only way to establish a just and comprehensive peace in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.
