UN Palestinian Rights Committee and Organization of Islamic Cooperation hold an international conference on the question of Jerusalem
Cairo, 18 July 2026 – The United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in partnership with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), successfully convened the 2026 Conference on the Question of Jerusalem on 18 July 2026 in Cairo, Egypt.
Held under the theme, “Jerusalem: The Frontline of Displacement and Annexation and the Key to Just and Lasting Peace,” the Conference brought together senior government officials, religious leaders, diplomats, United Nations representatives, and experts to address the grave challenges facing the Palestinian people in occupied East Jerusalem, including forced displacement, dispossession, settlement expansion, restrictions on worship, and violence.
In his opening statement, Ambassador Mahmoud Omar, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, reaffirmed that East Jerusalem is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory and the capital of the future Palestinian State. He rejected forced displacement, settlement expansion, annexation, and all unilateral measures seeking to alter Jerusalem’s legal, historical, or demographic character. He also stressed the need to preserve the city’s Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity and its historical and legal status quo. As he declared in his statement: “Egypt categorically rejects all such policies and efforts and calls for their immediate cessation.”
Addressing the Conference, the UN Palestinian Rights Committee Chair, Ambassador Coly Seck, emphasized that a just and lasting peace cannot be achieved without Jerusalem, nor can Jerusalem be peaceful without justice. He reaffirmed the Committee’s call to end illegal settlement activity, preserve the historic and legal status quo at the Holy Sites, protect freedom of worship, and uphold East Jerusalem as an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory.
In his opening statement, Mr. Dawas Dawas, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and Al-Quds Affairs, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, reaffirmed that Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Palestinian cause and is essential to any credible path toward peace. He stressed that protecting the city’s historical, legal, religious, and cultural character is a responsibility shared by the international community, and that lasting peace requires ending the occupation, safeguarding Palestinian rights, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. As the statement emphasized: “Jerusalem is not merely a city under occupation, but the point where the Palestinian people’s national, historical, and religious rights converge, and the key to stability, security, and peace throughout the region.”
In his statement, Palestinian Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Dr. Ashraf Al-Awar stressed that Jerusalem remains central to the Palestinian cause and to any meaningful path toward peace. He emphasized that a just and lasting political solution cannot be achieved through occupation, settlement expansion, or the imposition of unilateral realities, but must be based on international law, the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. As he stated: “The question of Jerusalem cannot be resolved through force or imposed facts, but through the will of peoples and the steadfastness of justice.”
In his address on behalf of the League of Arab States, Ambassador Dr. Fayed Mustafa, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Head of the Palestine and Occupied Arab Territories Sector, emphasized that Jerusalem remains central to a just and lasting peace. He stressed that peace cannot be imposed through occupation, settlements, annexation, or displacement, but must be founded on rights, international law, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. As he stated: “True peace can only be built on the recognition of rights, respect for the law, and an end to the occupation.”
In her remarks on behalf of the United Nations, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) emphasized that Jerusalem must remain a city of coexistence, dignity, and peace for people of all faiths. She stressed that unilateral actions cannot alter the city’s status and that its historical, demographic, religious, and cultural character must be protected. She also called for respect for international law, accountability, and a credible political process leading to two sovereign states living side-by-side in peace and security, with Jerusalem serving as the capital of both. As she stated: “Jerusalem must not be used to divide. It must remain a city that brings people together, where people of all faiths can live side by side in peace, exercise their freedom of worship, and look to the future with hope.”
Participants underscored the urgent need to safeguard Jerusalem, protect its Palestinian presence, and preserve its unique cultural, religious, and historical character. They stressed that measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of the city undermine prospects for peace and remain a matter of serious concern for the international community.
Read the whole press release here.
