Parliament speakers participating in the 1st Extraordinary Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Member States on Lifting the Unjust Blockade Off Gaza affirmed on Wednesday that the Palestinian cause is the pivotal cause and the essence of conflict in the Middle East East, and that member countries must take a unified Islamic stance to support it.

In the final declaration of the conference, the participants condemned in principle of the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza by land, sea and air, considering it an aggressive and savage action that breaches all international laws and norms, constitutes a crime against humanity and poses a serious threat to international peace and security as well as to regional stability.

The declaration strongly condemned the gruesome massacres which have been committed by the Zionist entity through shedding the blood of innocent people on board the humanitarian aid convoy which was on course to deliver humanitarian aid, considering this crime to be intimidation, piracy and state terrorism on international waters.

It requested that the UN Secretary General implement his Presidential Statement, dated on 31 May 2010, concerning the constitution of an impartial and independent international commission to investigate into this crime and to issue a UN resolution thereon.

The members stressed the need to implement the resolution of the Human Rights Council on the formation of an independent fact finding commission to investigate the violation of international law following the Israeli aggression on the humanitarian aid convoy.

They also emphasized the importance of following up on the Goldstone Report.

The declaration demanded that the UN Security Council establish a special international tribunal to prosecute the Israeli leaders who committed the crime of attacking the humanitarian aid convoy.

It called for implementing the resolutions of the Israel Boycott Bureau adopted by the OIC and other similar regional organizations relating to commodities, persons and companies, in addition to calling on the Parliamentary Union's member parliaments to unify their positions through support and solidarity with the Palestinian stance on lifting the blockade and ending the brutal occupation.

The members appealed to all Palestinian factions and forces to continue the efforts to realize Palestinian national unity which is considered the essential and most effective weapon for putting an end to occupation, realizing the hopes of Palestinians for return, self-determination and establishing their independent state with al-Quds as its capital.

The declaration called for forming a delegation from the Union's members to visit various international, continental and regional parliamentary unions in order to expound the reality of what is taking place in the region and the grave dimensions concomitant to the Gaza blockage, the war crimes and the Israeli settlements.

It also stipulated for forming a committee for following up and executing the resolutions of this conference, which will be chaired by Speaker of the Syrian People's Assembly with the membership of two from each geographic group.

The declaration appealed to OIC member states to adopt and defend the resolutions of this conference, in addition to requesting that the OIC, the Arab League and the Non Aligned States seek the convening of the UN General Assembly in the framework of the "United for Peace" formula for the sake of lifting the blockage off Gaza.

Participants stressed that the Israeli decision on lessening the blockade on Gaza is nothing more than deception and procrastination in order to prolong the blockade.

They also requested that Islamic states and all peace-loving people to continue sending ships carrying medical and food supplies and building materials to Gaza, which has been destroyed by Israel, in addition to calling for exercising pressures for opening all crossings for the permanent movement of persons and goods.

The declaration called for dispatching urgent humanitarian aid to the besieged people of Gaza with the participation of parliamentarians from the Union.

The declaration went on to salute the steadfast Palestinian people as well as the Turkish position on Gaza blockade, offering condolences to the families of the martyrs. It also called for compelling Israel to pay fill compensation in accordance with international standards for the victims and injured people, in addition to liberating all the ships which were exposed to Israeli piracy and are still detained by Israel.

It also affirmed that the severance of diplomatic and economic ties with the Zionist entity is the most effective means of punishing it, requesting that states which have diplomatic or economic relations with it to reconsider such relations.

The declaration expressed thanks to Qatar and the states which declared positions on bearing the necessary legal costs for taking Israel to court on its heinous crime if attacking the humanitarian aid convoy, emphasizing the implementation of the recommendations of the two open-ended meetings of the Executive committee, which were held on 14 January 2009 and 20 May 2010.

The participants concluded by expressing appreciation to President Bashar al-Assad for patronizing and paying attention to this gathering, thanking the Syrian people, parliament and government for taking the initiative to convene this conference.

Earlier, the Conference held an open session during which heads of delegations gave speeches on the tragic situation in Gaza and the need to lift the siege imposed on its people for more than four years.

Speaker of the Majlis of Iran Ali Larijani stressed the need for cooperation with regional and international organizations to break the siege imposed on Gaza, calling on the OIC to hold a conference to support the Palestinian people.

For his part, Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon Nabih Berri called for sending one ship from each Arab and Islamic port and have these ships gather in one international area and head to Gaza, saying "this human and humanitarian tsunami will change the formula and help lift the blockade off Gaza."

In similar speeches, heads of participating delegations pointed out that Israel's aggression on Freedom Flotilla helped create international conditions that must be used to pressure Israel to lift the siege imposed on Gaza, affirming that Israel's crimes against the Palestinian people hinder the peace process.

They pointed out that Israel's crime against Freedom Flotilla revealed the true image of Israeli brutality to the public opinion, calling for working to stop Israel from building settlements and expelling Palestinians in al-Quds and its surrounding areas.

The participants also called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility and support the Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state.