By Akram Medhat
Palestinian Minister of Tourism Rula Maayah, chair of the 20th session of the Council of Arab Tourism Ministers held in Cairo, called on the United States and all countries to abide by and respect the resolutions of the United Nations and the UN Security Council on Jerusalem, which consider all Zionist measures and laws aimed at changing the legal and historical status of East Jerusalem, its holy sites, its identity and its demographic composition null and void.
In her speech before the 20th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, which began its work today under the chairmanship of Palestine and in the presence of Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Maayah said the meeting coincides with US President Trump's intention to move the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognize it as the capital of the Zionist entity, which is considered a clear and explicit aggression against the Arab nation and the rights of the Palestinian people and would reduce the chances of peace in the Middle East. She affirmed that Jerusalem is Arab and is the eternal capital of the Palestinian people.
The Palestinian tourism minister added that the Arab world is going through exceptional circumstances affecting tourism in many countries, and therefore we must intensify efforts to confront these crises and obstacles and to develop tourism through programs and activities aimed at further promoting Arab countries and at further progress and development of the tourism reality and those working in the sector.
Maayah stressed the follow-up, implementation and approval of a set of topics, most importantly following up, developing and implementing the Arab Tourism Strategy and its programs, especially regarding facilitating tourist movement between Arab countries, Arab cooperation with South American countries in the field of tourism, the proposal to establish an Arab Tourism Council award, and guaranteeing tourism investments in Arab countries, among other important topics.
She indicated that the council will work to develop the tourism sector in Arab countries to maximize its contributions to comprehensive sustainable development, whether economic, social, human, cultural, educational or environmental, and to develop Arab tourism and attract more international tourism to the Arab region.
She praised Prince Sultan bin Salman, honorary president of the Arab Tourism Organization and president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, for his efforts and continuous support for Arab tourism through the organization, the celebration of the city of Abha as the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2017, and the holding of the Arab Investment Forum in Tunisia in cooperation between the Tunisian Ministry of Tourism and the Arab Tourism Organization.
