OIC Council issues Baghdad Declaration on Palestine and Jerusalem

The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued the ‘Baghdad Declaration’ following its 52nd session held in Iraq on October 17-18. The declaration reaffirms the centrality of the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem to the Islamic Ummah.

The council emphasized that Jerusalem is an integral part of the territories occupied since 1967 and serves as the capital of the State of Palestine. It rejected all Israeli measures intended to alter the legal, political, geographical, or demographic status of the city or its Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity. The declaration supports the Hashemite Custodianship of Jordan in protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites and affirms that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims.

Furthermore, the council condemned Israeli settlement expansion, land seizures, home demolitions, and forced displacement. It specifically highlighted the danger of the ‘E1’ colonial plan, which threatens the geographical continuity of Palestinian land and risks isolating East Jerusalem from its surroundings. The declaration called on the international community to take effective action to ensure accountability and uphold international law, specifically UN Security Council Resolution 2334.