QNA DOHA THE Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani will open the two-day International Conference for the Defence of Jerusalem in Doha on February 26.

The conference follows a resolution (No.

503) of the Supreme Council of the League of Arab States which was adopted at Sirte in March 2010.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Arab League Secretary-General Dr Nabil Arabi, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, UN Coordinator for the Peace Process in the Middle East Robert Serry will address the conference. About 350 leaders from Arab, Islamic and other countries will participate in the meet.

The conference will hod discussions under the four following topics ‘Jerusalem and International Law’, ‘History of Jerusalem’, ‘Jerusalem and Settlements’, ‘Israeli Violations’ and ‘Jerusalem, and Civil Society Organisations’.

‘Jerusalem and International Law’ will have discussions on the legal status of Jerusalem before and after the Israeli occupation, the reality and the future of Jerusalem under occupation and the status of the holy places under international law.

The importance of highlighting the legal status of Jerusalem comes to proving the illegality of the Israeli practices and violations in Jerusalem, and its violation of all international norms and conventions.

‘History of Jerusalem’ will highlight the most important aspects of the issue, including the historic one, as well as its position in the three monotheistic religions, and the Arab identity of Jerusalem.

The identity issue requires to be addressed by highlighting what Jerusalem represents in Islamic and Christian thoughts and how despite archaeological counterfeiting meant to prove the Israeli claim of historic right of Jews in Jerusalem remains weak.

‘Jerusalem and Settlements’ deals with procedures for the systematic intensification of settlement and land confiscation in East Jerusalem and the surrounding areas, as well as the changes in their demography from 1967 to 2020, by which Israel aims to establish Greater Jerusalem by expulsion and the displacement of the Arab population from East Jerusalem. It will also deliberate on the ways to rescue Jerusalem, the Arab vision against the Israeli plan - for the future of Jerusalem in 2020.

‘Jerusalem, and Civil Society Organisations’ will discuss the role of institutions in the Holy City and the extent of its representation in the national authority. It will try to find appropriate mechanisms to activate the contribution of civil society organisations in maintaining the Arab identity in the city and ways to strengthen the resistance against the Israeli occupation, and to assist in implementing development projects in Jerusalem.