Iran preparing to commemorate International Quds(Jerusalem) Day in Solidarity with Palestine

**Shah-Jehan** · 07-31-2013, 05:45 AM

Iran preparing to commemorate International Quds Day

The Sunday event was attended by the Chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin Boroujerdi and Representative of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement in Iran, Nasser Abu Sharif.

In August 1979, the late founder of the Islamic Republic Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as International Quds Day, and called on Muslims across the world to mark the annual occasion by holding street rallies.

Millions of people around the world pour into the streets on this day in a show of support for the people of Palestine, and to call for an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

During the Sunday conference, Boroujerdi underlined the importance of International Quds Day in defending Palestinian rights against the occupying regime of Israel.

Pointing to recent efforts by US Secretary of State John Kerry to restart the Israeli-Palestinian talks, Boroujerdi said, “The US doesn’t want the Palestinians to return to their homes. These talks only benefit Israel. Settlement activities should end. Al-Quds [Jerusalem] should become Palestine’s capital or there is no point to negotiations.”

In this regard, Abu Sharif also stated, “The US is not a neutral negotiator and tries to benefit Israel and discriminates against the rights of the Palestinians.”

Palestinians are seeking to create an independent state on the territories of the West Bank, East al-Quds (Jerusalem), and the Gaza Strip and are demanding that Israel withdraw from the Palestinian territories occupied in the Six-Day War of 1967.

The Palestinian-Israeli talks were halted in September 2010 over disagreements on Israeli settlement construction in the occupied West Bank.

On Thursday, Israeli Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom said the talks may begin in Washington next week.

Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/07...intl-quds-day/