The Twenty-fifth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (Session for a Better Future for the Peoples of the Islamic Ummah) held in Doha, State of Qatar, from 17 to 19 Dhul Quida 1418H (15-17 March 1998),

Recalling Resolution No. 7/8-E (IS) adopted by the Eighth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference;

Recalling Resolution No. 7/24-E adopted by the Twenty-fourth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers;

Believing in the objectives and principles of the OIC Charter aimed at strengthening Islamic solidarity among the Member States, and conforming with mass international will that rejects arbitrary Israeli practices in the occupied Arab territory which lead to deterioration of the economic and social conditions of Arab citizens under the yoke of Israeli occupation, on the one hand, and that supports the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East region based on the (Land-for-Peace principle) resolutions of the international legitimacy 242, 338 and 425 as well as the authority of the Madrid Peace Conference, on the other;

Underlining the unfailing efforts exerted by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to promote the economic structure; and in view of the escalation of the illegal and unlawful expansionist settlement policies of the Israeli government, in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the occupied Syrian Golan; and also in view of the serious implications of this escalation on the existing difficult economic and humanitarian conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory and the Syrian citizens in the occupied Golan;

Expressing extreme concern over the grave economic impacts, resulting from the expansionist settlement policy of the Israeli government, on the difficult living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory and those of the Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan as well as the Arab people in the occupied Arab territory;

Appreciating with profound interest the role which the Palestine Liberation Organization and its National Authority (PNA) are playing in all territories under the PNA including the city of Al-Quds Al-Sharif for the improvement of the Palestinian people's living conditions and the overhauling of their national economy;

Expressing grave concern over the danger of Israel's continued occupation of the Syrian Golan, South Lebanon and the Western Bekaa region which are daily exposed to huge human, economic and material losses;

Emphasizing the resolutions of the recent Arab Summit in Cairo concerning this matter;

Having taken note of the recommendations of the Twenty-first Session of the Islamic Commission for Economic, Cultural and Social Affairs;

Having considered the report of the Secretary General,

1. Hails the efforts made by the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Palestinian National Authority to rebuild Palestinian facilities, infrastructure and properties already destroyed and those being destroyed by the Israeli occupation authorities. It commends the strenuous efforts exerted by the Palestinian Authority to rebuild and strengthen Palestinian National economy.

2. Invites all concerned bodies to expedite the extension of the envisaged necessary assistance to help the Palestinian people to establish their national economy, consolidation of their national institutions and to enable them to establish their independent State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

3. Reaffirms the earlier OIC resolutions in favour of the extension of all forms of economic, technical, material and moral support and assistance to the Palestinian people, preferential treatment for Palestinian export products and granting them exemptions from taxes and tariffs.

4. Calls for the necessity of implementing the resolutions of the UN General Assembly on the economic assistance extended to the Palestinian people as well as the resolutions of other international organizations and relevant specialized agencies. It also calls for unified efforts during the Fifty-second Session of the UN General Assembly in this respect.

5. Urges the private sector and investors of the OIC Member States to undertake the execution of the economic, industrial, agricultural and housing programmes in the territories of the Palestinian National Authority with a view to supporting and strengthening the Palestinian national economy.

6. Condemns Israel's continuing occupation of the Palestinian territories including Al-Quds Al-Sharif and the escalation of its arbitrary practices against the Palestinian people in all of the occupied towns and villages, and building an expansionist infrastructure by establishing more settlements and calls for halting these practices.

7. Also Condemns the continuing occupation by Israel of Syrian Golan, Southern Lebanon and the Western Bekaa Valley, as well as the arbitrary Israeli practices which have resulted in the deterioration of the economic and social conditions of the Syrian and Lebanese people who are under occupation.

8. Expresses extreme concern about the serious economic implications resulting from a new series of expansionist settlement policies by the Israeli government on the existing difficult living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian territories as well as those of the Syrian citizens in the Occupied Syrian Golan and the Arab people in the other Occupied Arab territories.

9. Urges the OIC Member States to carry all necessary actions at the international level to exert pressure on Israel to desist from resorting to imposition of the brutal blockades on the occupied Palestinian territory, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif which result in extremely painful economic effects on the Palestinian people and raise the level of unemployment among the Palestinians. It also hampers international efforts aimed at realizing development in the occupied Palestinian territory and the territory of the Palestinian Naitonal Authority.

10. Calls on the Member States and the international community also to extend every necessary assistance to the Lebanese population in Southern Lebanon and Western Bekka which are daily and permanently exposed to Israeli aggression causing death and material losses and resulting in social hardship which paralyse almost constantly, the economic activities of the region.

11. Calls also on the Member States to coordinate their efforts regarding the implementation of the resolutions on the subject.

12. Requests the Secretary General to submit a report thereon to the Twenty-sixth Session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

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