Joint Syrian-Lebanese statement: The Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people should stop

Syria and Lebanon have stressed the need to immediately stop the systematic Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, and to put an end to the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli occupation.

The two sides also stressed the continuation of consultation and coordination of positions regarding the escalation in the region. The affirmed continuous cooperation to ensure the return of the displaced Syrians from Lebanon to their homeland, and the necessity that the international community and the United Nations should assume their responsibilities to achieve this goal.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in the two countries said in a joint statement today: Starting from a sincere Lebanese desire to visit Syria for consultation and coordination of positions regarding the common challenges faced by the two brotherly countries and regarding escalation in the region, and in the light of the Syrian welcoming position, the Lebanese Foreign Minister and Expatriates Abdullah Bou Habib, accompanied by a delegation that comprised the Director General of Public Security, Major General Elias Al -Bisri, the Secretary -General of the Supreme Council of Defense, Major General Mohamed Al -Mustafa, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Lebanon in Damascus, Talal Daher, the director of the office of Minister Walid Haider, Judge Ghassan Al -Khoury from the Ministry of Justice, and Brigadier Murshid Suleiman from the General Directorate For public security, psid an official visit to Damascus today. The the delegation met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Al -Mikdad in the presence of Deputy Minister Bassam Sabbagh, the assistant Minister of Local Administration and Environment Moataz Duh Ji, the advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ali Abdel Karim, and the director of the International Organizations and Conferences Department Qusai Al -Dahhak, and the director of the Executive Support Department Jamal Najeeb.

The two sides condemned the systematic Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, and stressed the need to stop it immediately and put an end to the war crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli entity.

The two sides stressed the categorical rejection of any attempts to displace the Palestinian people or liquidate their just cause, and stressed the necessity of applying the relevant international legitimacy resolutions, ending the Israeli occupation of Arab lands in Palestine, Lebanon and the Syrian Golan and establishing the Palestinian state with Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as a capital.

The two sides discussed the goal of this visit, which is to address the challenges related to the displaced Syrians crisis in Lebanon, and stressed the importance of joint cooperation to ensure a dignified return of the displaced Syrians to their homeland.  They affirmed the need that the international community and the United Nations and its specialized agencies to assume their responsibilities in helping achieve this goal.

Al -Mikdad explained the measures taken by Syria over the past years and recently to restore security and stability and facilitate the return of the displaced Syrians to their homeland.

He stressed that Syria welcomes all its sons and looks forward to their return, and is doing its best in cooperation with friendly countries and partners in humanitarian work to achieve this.

For his part, the Lebanese Foreign Minister expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the efforts and measures taken by Syria.

The two sides agreed on holding coordination meetings at the level of specialized officials and experts to follow up on the issues related to the return of the displaced, borders control, exchange the delivery of convicts, and other issues of common interest.

O.M