03-27-06,10:00am

The foreign ministers of Arab states convened at the Sudanese capital city Khartoum asserted in their final communiqué that their governments will continue supporting the Palestinian people and its national authority, and condemned the latest Israeli measures and closure of crossing points in Gaza Strip.

According to the communiqué, the Arab foreign ministers approved a resolution concerning the Palestinian issue, which will be submitted to the Arab Summit, which calls to funding the budget of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) for another period starting in the beginning of April, and inviting the international community and the Quartet Committee to resume their efforts regarding the Middle East peace process.

The resolution also highly values and praises the Arab states that have fulfilled its financial commitments to the PNA, in accordance with the resolutions of former Arab summits, and tasks the Secretariat General of the Summit to issue a monthly report to follow-up the commitment of member states.

Also, the resolution calls on the international community to continue its financial support to the PNA and respect the Palestinians' democratic choice, warning that cutting off the assistance would reflect seriously on the Palestinian people's economic and social conditions, not to mention affecting security and stability in the entire region.

Arab foreign ministers demanded the PNA, in their resolution, prepare a report on the size of assistance and funding it can lose in case donor countries insisted on imposing political conditions on the new Palestinian government that do not conform with the Palestinian goals and interests. This report will be submitted to the League of Arab States on the ministerial level in its next round.

Moreover, the resolution condemned the Israeli measures against the PNA, mainly freezing the transfer of the monthly Palestinian customs and tax revenues, as well as the closures of crossing points between Israel and Gaza Strip, which further hurts the daily life of the civilian population there.

In addition to Arab and world governments, the resolution also called on Arab financial and economic funds and institutions to contribute to supporting the Palestinian people, and intensify their programs of financial and technical aid, in order to enhance the economic abilities of the Palestinian people.

On the trade exchange level, the resolution called on all Arab states to exempt Palestinian products and goods from customs fees and taxes when entering their markets, in order to further boost the Palestinian economy, praising the countries that already gave such instructions to their border crossings and customs offices.

Furthermore, the resolution called on the Qaurtet to resume its active work in bringing about a just and everlasting peace to the region, based on the United Nations resolutions of relevance and the principle of land for peace. It also stressed the Arab states' refusal of Israel's unilateral steps and solution that aim to annex more Palestinian lands and prevent a viable and independent Palestinian state.

In this regard, the resolution called on international organizations and world governments not to recognize Israel's unilateral solutions or measures, or deal with any guarantees or promises that would undermine the Palestinian people's legitimate rights, and reward the Israeli occupation for expanding illegal settlements and constructing the Apartheid Wall in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem