Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, says Israel is committing the worst kind of “state-sponsored terrorism.”
Berri made the remarks as the first foreign guest to address the 6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada (Uprising) in Tehran on Tuesday.
“Settlement expansion by the Israeli regime is the worst kind of state-sponsored terrorism,” he said.
The Israeli parliament on February 6 rubber-stamped the so-called “Legalization Bill,” which retroactively legalized structures built on Palestinian land. The move came barely two months after the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved a resolution declaring that settlement construction “constitutes a flagrant violation under international law.”
“It’s time to put decisions into action and reach a consensus on a solution to the issue of Palestine,” Berri said.
Addressing the issue of frequent arrests across the occupied territories by Israeli forces, he said 39 Palestinian officials were in the Israeli regime’s custody.
The Lebanese parliament speaker also described the potential transfer of the United States’ embassy from Tel Aviv to Beit al-Moqaddas as a means of endorsing (the usurper regime of) Israel’s claim to the city as “the capital of its future state.” The Palestinians want the eastern part of the city as the capital of their country.
Arab countries must close embassies in Washington if the US proceeds with the move, he said.
Berri also urged “unity among Palestinian groups,” calling it “the most urgent issue that needs to be addressed at this point in time.”
“I praise what the Islamic Republic has done for Palestine. Iran is being targeted because of its support for Palestine,” the Lebanese top parliamentarian said.
The next person to address the colloquium was the head of the Palestinian Resistance Movement of Islamic Jihad, Ramadan Abdullah.
“The Palestinian nation will continue resisting the Zionist regime (of Israel) with all that it has” and is ready to stand against “any aggression” coming from Israel, he said.
Abdullah also described the Palestinian Authority as being in cahoots with the Israeli regime, citing the Authority’s security cooperation with Tel Aviv. “We reject any negotiation or security cooperation with Israel,” Ramadan Abdullah said.
Oman’s Parliament Speaker Khalid al-Mawali, also a guest at the conference, then took the floor, calling Israel’s actions a threat to the entire world.
“The international community should be aware that Israelis are ignoring and violating all international and humanitarian laws,” Mawali said.
Meantime addressing the conference, Malaysian Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia slammed Tel Aviv’s ratification of the “Legalization Bill” as “unbelievable.”
The three-day event opened in the Iranian capital earlier in the day and was officially inaugurated with an address by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Ayatollah Khamenei called the issue of Palestine the top priority of the Muslim world and all freedom seekers and urged unity toward supporting Palestinian resistance.
Around 700 foreign guests and representatives of pro-Palestinian organizations are taking part in the conference in Tehran.
