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2026?Conference on the Question of Jerusalem?

“Jerusalem: The Frontline of Displacement and Annexation and the Key to Just and Lasting Peace”?

?Convened by the?

Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) and?

the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)?

Cairo,?Egypt

18?July 2026

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CHAIR SUMMARY??

The?2026?Conference on the Question of Jerusalem?“Jerusalem: The Frontline of Displacement and Annexation and the Key?to Just and Lasting Peace”?was convened in?Cairo,?Egypt, under?the joint auspices of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP). In the margins of the Conference, the Committee Delegation held bilateral meetings with?Egyptian?officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs?and the Secretary-General of?the?League of Arab States.??

The Conference?focused?on?the protection of Jerusalem’s unique religious, historical and cultural character, including the preservation of the historic and legal status quo at the Holy Sites and the protection of freedom of worship.?It also highlighted the preservation of the Palestinian people’s presence, rights and sovereignty in occupied East Jerusalem in the face of settlement expansion, home demolitions, evictions, residency revocations, movement restrictions and policies described by speakers as contributing to displacement, fragmentation and de facto annexation.?

Participants reaffirmed that East Jerusalem forms an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and that its final status cannot be altered through unilateral measures. They stressed that a just, comprehensive and lasting peace must be based on international law, relevant United Nations resolutions and the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including self-determination and an independent State of Palestine?on the?basis of?the?pre-1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Several speakers also emphasized that Jerusalem should serve as the capital of both States and remain a city open to all faiths.

Experts called for a shift from expressions of concern to practical action. They urged Member States and international organizations to uphold non-recognition of unlawful territorial changes, support accountability, protect Palestinian institutions and communities, preserve education, health, cultural and religious services, sustain 蘑菇视频RWA and other essential bodies, and ensure that international assistance strengthens Palestinian resilience rather than merely responding to repeated emergencies. Religious leaders stressed that Jerusalem’s sacred character should be a source of coexistence and shared responsibility, not a justification for exclusion, domination or violence.?

At the Opening Session,?Ambassador Mahmoud Omar, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt,?welcomed participants to Cairo and emphasized Egypt’s longstanding position that East Jerusalem is part and parcel of the territory occupied in 1967 and the capital of the future State of Palestine. He stated that measures intended to alter the city’s legal, demographic, historical or religious character, including measures affecting Muslim and Christian Holy Sites, were null and void under international law. He rejected the relocation of embassies to Jerusalem, forced displacement, displacement through starvation, settlement expansion and steps leading to de facto annexation. He also reaffirmed the territorial and political unity of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, and expressed support for the Palestinian Authority and the reform measures it had undertaken. Egypt, he said, would continue its mediation and humanitarian efforts, support early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza without displacement or fragmentation, and work for a two-State solution that would bring security and prosperity to the region.?

In his opening remarks,?Ambassador Coly Seck, Chair of CEIRPP and Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations,?described Jerusalem as a city of faith, memory and meaning, sacred to three monotheistic religions and entrusted to the conscience of humanity. He warned that annexation did not advance through formal declarations?only, but also “step by step, street by street, house by house,” through demolitions, evictions, residency revocations, confiscation of land, settlement construction and restrictions on Palestinian life. He reaffirmed that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, were illegal under international law and threatened the viability of the two-State solution. He called for preservation of the historic and legal status quo, protection of Muslim and Christian Holy Sites, freedom of worship, access to sacred places and protection of the Palestinian presence in the city. He also stressed that the international community had a duty not merely to observe developments, but to act to prevent irreversible changes.?

Mr.?Ashraf Al-Awar, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs of the State of Palestine, stated that Jerusalem was not solely a territorial question, but a matter of identity, existence and the national, religious and cultural life of the Palestinian people. He outlined policies affecting Palestinian Jerusalemites since 1967, including land confiscation, home demolitions, settlement expansion, revocation of residency rights, restrictions on construction and family life, pressure on Palestinian institutions, and attempts to alter the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque. He referred?in particular to?communities in Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah and to threats facing Muslim and Christian Holy Sites. Dr. Al-Awar called for implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions and the July 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, effective accountability, support for Palestinian and Jerusalem institutions, protection of the Islamic Waqf and the Hashemite?custodianship, and recognition of East Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine. He underscored that imposed facts could not produce a legitimate or lasting solution.?

Ambassador?Dawas?Dawas, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,?reaffirmed that Jerusalem stood at the heart of the Palestinian cause and was indispensable to any credible path towards peace. He rejected annexation, settlement activity, forced displacement and attempts to alter the city’s legal, historical, religious and cultural status. He stressed the inseparability of Jerusalem from the West Bank and Gaza and called for implementation of international law and United Nations resolutions, accountability for violations, recognition of the State of Palestine by States that had not yet done so, and full Palestinian membership in the United Nations. He also called for sustained political and financial support for Palestinian institutions, 蘑菇视频RWA and the resilience of Jerusalem’s population. The OIC, he said, remained committed to an independent Palestinian State on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.?

Ambassador?Fayed Mustafa, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Head of the Palestine and Occupied Arab Territories Sector,?described Jerusalem as a central test of the international community’s commitment to law and justice. He stated that attacks on Palestinian rights, institutions and Holy Sites should not be treated as isolated incidents, but as elements of a systematic policy intended to alter the city’s identity and status. He reiterated the position of the League of Arab States in support of ending the occupation, halting settlement activity, preventing displacement and establishing an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital. He warned against double standards and impunity and called for measures capable of enforcing international law. He stressed that genuine peace had to rest on recognition of rights, respect for law and an end to the occupation.?

Ms.?Rania A. Al-Mashat,?United Nations?Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCWA,?reaffirmed the United Nations position that unilateral actions could not change the status of Jerusalem and that the city’s historical, demographic, religious and cultural character must be preserved. She drew attention to the effects of demolitions, displacement, settlement plans, movement barriers, restrictions on Palestinian services and the closure of 蘑菇视频RWA schools. She recalled the July 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice and stressed the obligations of the international community in relation to settlement activity and the prolonged occupation. Dr. Al-Mashat?called for accountability, protection of civilians, humanitarian and development support, and a credible political process resulting in two sovereign States living side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both. “Jerusalem must not be used to divide,” she said. “It must remain a city that brings people together.”?

During the first plenary session under the topic?“Saving the Holy City, Safeguarding the historic status quo at the Holy Sites”,?Sheikh Ayman Abdel-Ghani, Deputy to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif,?framed the question of Palestine as a question of rights, justice and human dignity rather than a purely political dispute. He condemned attacks on civilians, deprivation of food and medicine, forced displacement and the destruction of homes and places of worship. He stated that religious and moral principles required action in support of the oppressed and that condemnation without measures to stop violations was insufficient. He also reaffirmed Al-Azhar’s?support for Egypt’s position, the protection of Jerusalem’s Arab identity and Muslim and Christian Holy Sites, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital.?

Mr.?Wasfi Al Kailani, Executive Director of the Hashemite Fund for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock,?explained the historical, legal and practical significance of the Hashemite custodianship of Muslim and Christian Holy Sites in Jerusalem. He traced its roots in Palestinian pledges and relevant agreements and described it as a framework for safeguarding worship, coexistence and the established arrangements at the Holy Sites. He documented developments that, in his assessment, were eroding the status quo, including increased incursions and religious rituals by settlers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, restrictions on access, interference with Waqf personnel and restoration work, and pressures affecting Christian churches, property and institutions. He highlighted Jordan’s restoration, educational, diplomatic and legal work, including engagement with 蘑菇视频ESCO and international judicial processes. He warned that restraint should not be interpreted as acquiescence and called for tangible international measures capable of halting violations.?

Bishop William Shomali, General Vicar and Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine,?described Jerusalem as a city of memory, prayer, encounter, coexistence and hope. He stressed that it was sacred to three religions and simultaneously central to the national aspirations of two peoples. Recalling the position of the Holy See, he supported a negotiated and internationally guaranteed special status that would protect the city’s unique character, freedom of access and worship, the rights of religious communities, existing tax arrangements and the continued work of churches and other institutions. He rejected exclusive claims to Jerusalem and warned that settlements, home demolitions, restrictions on family reunification and pressure on institutions were altering the city’s demographic and social fabric. He called for a political solution that respected both peoples and all faiths.?

Mr.?Atallah Naser, former reciter of Al-Aqsa Mosque and former Head of the Quran Memorization Department of the Jerusalem Awqaf,?presented the protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem’s Holy Sites as a religious, historical and human responsibility. He described restrictions on worshippers, age limits, exclusion orders affecting religious officials and guards, settler incursions and rituals, and signs of what he considered an emerging temporal and spatial division of Al-Aqsa Mosque. He called for full respect for the Hashemite custodianship, Muslim-Christian unity, international legal advocacy and the inclusion of accurate information about Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque in educational curricula worldwide. He urged religious discourse to avoid hatred while remaining firm in?defense?of rights and equal access to worship.?

Alkomos?Makary?Alkomos?Tadros, representative of the Coptic Orthodox Church,?conveyed the greetings and prayers of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and expressed appreciation for Egypt’s hosting of the Conference and its opposition to displacement. Drawing on Christian scripture and teaching, he argued that defending the vulnerable, giving a voice to the voiceless and delivering the oppressed from injustice were religious obligations, not political slogans. He described the suffering of Palestinian children, women, older persons and families as a humanitarian emergency requiring urgent action. He emphasized the Holy Land’s place in the conscience of humanity, rejected violence against civilians, killing and displacement, and called on States to uphold international humanitarian law without selectivity. “Double standards can?never build lasting peace,” he said. “Selective application of justice can never achieve true righteousness.”?

During the?discussion,?Maldives?reaffirmed?its?support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and an independent and sovereign State of Palestine on the pre-1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Referring to the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion and General Assembly resolution ES-10/24, he condemned continued settlement expansion and annexation and called for urgent and decisive international action, an immediate and permanent ceasefire, accountability and strong, predictable support for 蘑菇视频RWA. He also warned against normalizing unilateral changes to Jerusalem’s character, legal status and Holy Sites.?Indonesia?welcomed the strong and converging messages delivered by the Muslim and Christian panelists. He noted that Jerusalem’s importance extended beyond theology and history to identity, dignity and coexistence. He asked how religious leaders, governments and institutions could amplify those messages among Muslim and Christian communities and wider international audiences, including through education.?罢ü谤办颈测别?described the situation in Jerusalem as both a political effort to detach the city from Palestine and a practical effort to establish irreversible facts through home demolitions, settlement encirclement and pressure on Palestinian livelihoods. He referred to the historical status quo as reflected?in?subsequent international arrangements and asked what the international community and regional States could do beyond issuing statements to support Palestinian resilience and protect the Holy Sites.??

In response to the?Member States’ interventions,?experts?stressed that Jerusalem was sustained not only by Holy Sites, but also by schools, hospitals, charities, housing and legal and social institutions.?They?called for practical support to such institutions, including legal assistance for families threatened with eviction or demolition and housing initiatives that enabled Palestinian families to remain in the city.??They?called for direct financial and economic support through reliable and official channels, assistance to families whose homes had been demolished, and sustained support for education and community institutions.?

During the?second?plenary session under the topic “Preserving Palestinian Presence, Rights and?Sovereignty?in Jerusalem and the?OPT”,?Ms. Monica Magaon,?representing the European Union Office in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,?reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to a negotiated two-State solution, with Jerusalem serving as the capital of both States, and its position that settlements were illegal under international law and that the 1967 lines should not be changed except by agreement. She stressed the need to preserve the historic status quo and Jordan’s special role. Ms. Magaon also outlined the European Union’s diplomatic monitoring and substantial financial support to Palestinians, including a multi-year support package, assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises, sustained support to the East Jerusalem Hospital Network, and a dedicated East Jerusalem?programme?supporting education, youth, private-sector development, human rights, community empowerment and cultural heritage. She emphasized that international support should be locally owned, reflect Palestinian priorities and voices, and strengthen economic opportunity, education, housing, urban development and cultural identity.?

Ms. Rania Elias, former Director of the Yabous Cultural Center in East Jerusalem, speaking by video,?described culture not as a luxury, but as a means of survival, identity and continued Palestinian presence. She cited the work of cultural centers, conservatories, theatres, markets, bookshops and community organizations in sustaining Palestinian public life and transmitting memory between generations. She also described raids, closures, confiscation, interrogation, financial restrictions and administrative pressure affecting Palestinian cultural institutions, while Israeli cultural initiatives were promoted as part of what she called an “Israelization” of the city. Ms. Elias called for an end to raids and closures, protection of cultural activity, independent international monitoring, accountability and stable, unconditional emergency support for cultural institutions. “Jerusalem does not need more condemnation or silence,” she said. “It needs actions. It needs protection. It needs open doors, not welded doors.”?

Mr. Khalil Toufakji, former Director of Orient House and Head of the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem,?used maps and planning history to illustrate how administrative boundaries, land confiscation, zoning, settlement construction, the separation wall and infrastructure projects had reshaped Jerusalem. He described a strategy of surrounding Palestinian neighborhoods, inserting settlements and settlement-linked infrastructure between them, and fragmenting their connection to the rest of the West Bank. He also addressed the precarious legal status of Palestinian Jerusalemites as permanent residents rather than citizens, the risk of residency revocation, restrictions on Palestinian construction and control over education. He warned that political and demographic changes were moving faster than diplomatic efforts and that delay could make the loss of a viable Palestinian capital irreversible.?

Mr. Fakhri Abu Diab, representative of the Silwan community in East Jerusalem,?delivered a personal account of home demolition and the continuing threat of displacement in Al-Bustan. He explained that his family home, built before 1967, had been demolished after repeated denial of building permits and that he had been charged for the cost of the demolition. He said that photographs, belongings and the accumulated memories of several generations had been destroyed with the house. Shortly before travelling to the Conference, he had also received an order affecting the caravan in which he and his wife were staying. He described widespread demolitions in his?neighborhood?and appealed for international protection, sanctions and direct measures capable of stopping displacement. “Demolishing or tearing down a house is not only tearing down a building,” he said,?“It is tearing down our memories, our future, the future of my children and grandchildren.”?

Mr. George Zeidan, Country Director of the Carter Center in East Jerusalem,?organized his intervention around three propositions: regional stability could not be achieved without resolving the question of Palestine; Palestinian self-determination required rights in Jerusalem and political, geographic and social continuity between East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza; and developments on the ground were advancing rapidly under conditions of impunity. He described demolitions, evictions, residency policies, discriminatory planning, settlement expansion, restrictions on civil society and movement controls as interconnected rather than isolated. Mr. Zeidan called on States to recognize the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, support multilateral institutions including 蘑菇视频RWA, implement the July 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, observe duties of non-recognition and non-assistance, review trade and other relations connected to settlements, consider targeted sanctions, and protect Palestinians’ political participation, including participation by East Jerusalem residents in Palestinian elections.?

Ms. Lucy Garbett, Executive Editor of?Jerusalem Quarterly,?examined the residency regime applied to Palestinian Jerusalemites and the requirement to prove that Jerusalem remained their “centre?of life.” She described a complex and invasive bureaucracy in which residents must repeatedly provide property, rental, utility and other evidence, often without a clear official list of requirements, while facing long delays, individual investigations and intrusive verification practices. She linked this system to demographic objectives and to a broader hierarchy of legal status affecting residency, healthcare, social protection, family reunification and the registration of children. She also drew attention to the practical consequences of the biometric identity-card transition, the long-standing restrictions on family reunification and the risk that children remain unregistered and unable to obtain essential services.?

During the?discussion,?Cuba reaffirmed its strong support for Palestinian self-determination and an independent sovereign state within pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It called for a diplomatic solution, rejected violence against innocent civilians, condemned Israeli settlements, displacement, home demolitions and farmland destruction, and declared, “the genocide against the Palestinian people must end once and for all.”

In the closing session,?Minister?Riyad Mansour,?Permanent Observer of?the State of?Palestine to the United Nations,?expressed appreciation to the Committee, its Bureau, the Government and people of Egypt, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, the United Nations and the Palestinian participants who had travelled from Jerusalem. Reflecting on the testimony delivered by residents of Silwan and other parts of the city, he said that?Palestinians had every right to feel anger at the international community’s continuing failure to provide them with protection and justice. Nevertheless, he stressed that their pain must not deter continued diplomatic, legal and collective action to realize the national rights of the Palestinian people. Describing Jerusalem as “the heart” of the Palestinian cause and, in the words of President Mahmoud Abbas, “the jewel in the crown above our heads”, he called upon all participants to redouble their efforts, however modest, and to accumulate practical action until the Palestinian people achieve their inalienable rights, including self-determination, statehood and the return of Palestinian refugees.?

Closing the Conference,?the Chair?recalled that Jerusalem remained at the heart of the Question of Palestine and emphasized that the policies affecting occupied East Jerusalem could not be separated from the broader realities of displacement, annexation, discrimination and occupation. He underscored the urgent need to safeguard the historic and legal status quo at the holy sites, protect freedom of worship and access, and preserve the Palestinian presence, rights and sovereignty in the city. He affirmed that the Committee would continue to support practical diplomatic, legal and advocacy efforts to uphold international law, protect Jerusalem’s religious and cultural heritage and advance a just and lasting peace. The Conference concluded with a renewed sense of responsibility and purpose and with a call to translate international commitment into concrete action in support of the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights, including their right to self-determination in an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.?