Geneva, Muharram 14, 1440, September 24, 2018, SPA -- Ambassador of the kingdom to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Abdul Aziz Al-Wasel said that Saudi Arabia has taken upon itself to support all Arab and Islamic issues, especially the Palestinian issue. In a speech to the Human Rights Council on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, he said, "The Kingdom's position on the Palestinian issue is one of the main tenets of the Kingdom's policy, and the Kingdom supports the Palestinian cause at all political, economic and social levels. Its efforts towards the Palestinian cause is a duty dictated by its Islamic faith and human conscience towards a just cause and people who have suffered for decades from the violation of their rights and the usurpation of their lands." He called on the international community to support the Palestinian cause and pressure Israel to withdraw completely from all the Arab territories occupied in 1967 and to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with the Arab peace initiative and the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy. During the interactive dialogue held today by the Human Rights Council with the Commission of Inquiry, the Kingdom welcomed the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry into the events that took place in the context of peaceful protests condemning the Israeli occupation and submitting its recommendations to the Human Rights Council, calling on all parties to cooperate with them and allow them access to those affected. The Kingdom stressed that the siege imposed by Israel on the Palestinian people is a collective punishment against the Palestinian people, which has affected their daily rights in all aspects of life, such as health, education, etc., and calls on all states and organizations to pressure Israel to lift the siege immediately and end the occupation. He stressed that the Palestinian issue is the first issue of Saudi Arabia and will remain so until the brotherly Palestinian people obtain all their legitimate rights, foremost of which is the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. --SPA 23:03 LOCAL TIME 20:03 GMT 0036 www.spa.gov.sa/w754967