Cairo, April 23 (Petra) -- Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi Wednesday presided over the 163rd session of the Council of the Arab League at the ministerial level.

In his opening remarks, Safadi thanked Yemen for its leadership during the previous 162nd session of the Council. He emphasised Jordan's commitment to enhancing collective Arab efforts to address the challenges facing the region, aiming to serve shared interests and achieve security, stability and a just peace.

Safadi insisted that true peace would only materialise when the Palestinian people receive their full rights. He stated, "The establishment of a sovereign, independent Palestinian state with its capital in occupied Jerusalem must be realised along the June 4, 1967 lines, allowing it to coexist peacefully alongside Israel.

"This is the only path to achieving the fair and comprehensive peace that we all seek, as outlined in the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy."

He underscored the urgency of stopping the Israeli war in Gaza, calling for an end to the killing, destruction and deprivation affecting Palestinians in Gaza. Safadi reaffirmed Jordan's commitment to collaborating with Arab nations and the international community to secure an immediate ceasefire and facilitate adequate humanitarian aid to the region.

He acknowledged ongoing efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to mediate and stressed the importance of adhering to established agreements aimed at resolving the situation.

Safadi pledged that Jordan would continue to act against Israeli measures in the occupied West Bank that threaten peace and undermine the two-state solution. He emphasised the Kingdom's dedication to protecting Islamic and Christian sanctities, highlighting the historical Hashemite guardianship over these sites.

Following is the text translated text of the speech delivered by Safadi at the opening session of the 163rd regular session of the Council of the Arab League at the ministerial level:

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, and peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, the trustworthy Arab Hashemite Prophet. Dear colleagues,
Peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.
I begin by thanking His Excellency Dr Shaye Mohsen Al-Zindani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the sisterly Republic of Yemen, for his commendable efforts during his presidency of the previous session.

I also thank you and your team, Your Excellency the Secretary-General, for your constant endeavor to develop the work of our Arab League, which was launched eighty years ago as an umbrella for joint Arab action.

During the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan's presidency of the current regular session of the Arab League at the ministerial level, we will work together, dear colleagues, to activate our collective action to address the challenges facing our region, serve our interests and contribute to achieving security, stability and a just peace.

This peace will not be achieved unless our brotherly Palestinian people obtain their full rights. An independent, sovereign Palestinian state, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital, must emerge along the June 4, 1967, lines, living in security alongside Israel, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international resolutions.

This is the only way to achieve the just and comprehensive peace we all desire.

There is no priority today more important than halting the Israeli aggression on Gaza and ending the killing, destruction, starvation and deprivation of all necessities suffered by our people in the Strip.

Jordan will continue to work with its Arab brothers and the international community to achieve an immediate ceasefire and allow the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid into the Strip.

We support the efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the sisterly State of Qatar and the friendly United States of America to achieve this goal. We emphasise the necessity of implementing the prisoner exchange agreement, which was achieved through their efforts, in all its stages.

In the Kingdom, we will continue to do everything we can to halt the illegal Israeli escalation in the occupied West Bank, which is driving the situation toward an explosive state and undermining the two-state solution.

We will continue to devote all our capabilities to protecting the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, preserving their identity and the historical and legal status quo, within the framework of the historic Hashemite custodianship.

Dear colleagues,
Extremists in the Israeli government and in Israel are promoting the notion that they are pursuing their wars to protect Israel's security from perceived threats on all sides. The entire world knows the falsity of these claims.

A just peace is the only guarantee for the security of the region and its peoples. We all desire a just and comprehensive peace that fulfills rights and is accepted by the peoples, as affirmed by the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which provides a clear and unequivocal Arab position refuting these assertions.

Your Excellencies,
Today, the flag of the new Syria flies high in our Arab League, bearing the promise of rebuilding a secure and stable Syrian homeland after long years of oppression, killing and suffering.

We welcome you, His Excellency Asaad Al-Shaibani, in your first attendance at the regular session of our Ministerial Council. We affirm our support for your efforts to rebuild Syria on foundations that guarantee its unity, security, cohesion and sovereignty, rid it of terrorism, create conditions for the voluntary return of refugees, fulfill the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people and preserve the rights of all its groups.

The brotherly Syrian people have suffered for a long time and deserve our support at this historic moment of hope.

I also welcome you, His Excellency Youssef Raji, and affirm our absolute solidarity with Lebanon and its security, sovereignty and stability. We stand with you in confronting all threats.

We support the legitimate Yemeni government in its efforts to end the Yemeni crisis in accordance with the approved terms of reference. We stand with our brothers in Libya and emphasise the importance of supporting the political process aimed at achieving a Libya-led solution to the crisis.

We also stress the need for Sudan to restore its civil peace. I welcome you, His Excellency the Acting Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Hussein Al-Amin Al-Fadil, for your first attendance at the regular session of the League Council. I affirm that we all stand with our brotherly Sudan in its pursuit of security and stability.

Dear colleagues,
Eight decades ago, the Arab League was formed out of a firm conviction of the unity of our destiny, the interconnectedness of our security and the necessity of our joint action to protect our rights, serve our causes, meet the aspirations of our peoples and build the bright future they deserve.

In these difficult times for the Arab world, we need the Arab League more than ever. We must develop its operational tools and enhance its effectiveness, as our joint efforts serve as a source of strength for us, for our causes and for our goal of serving our nation.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan will continue to work with all our brothers to strengthen collective Arab action and solidify Arab solidarity to build a secure, stable and prosperous Arab future.

Thank you. May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.

//Petra// AK

23/04/2025 20:20:06