Member states of the Arab League (AL) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have issued a final statement following an emergency summit on the Middle East, held in Riyadh. The summit brought together members to form a unified stance on the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, expressing shared concerns and demands regarding Israel’s actions in the region.
The statement places responsibility on Israel for obstructing peace negotiations led by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. The document, published on the OIC website, reads: “We reaffirm our support for the significant efforts made by Egypt and Qatar, in cooperation with the United States, to achieve an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, to secure the release of hostages and prisoners, and we hold Israel accountable for the failure of these efforts due to its government’s rejection of agreements reached by negotiators.”
Key positions taken by AL and OIC members in the final document include:
Condemnation of “deliberate attacks” by Israel on UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon.
Denouncement of Israeli strikes on Syrian territory.
A call for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israeli civilian and military officials over crimes against Palestinians.
An appeal for the international community to compel Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza.
Calls for all nations to ban the supply of arms and ammunition to Israel.
A commitment to seek suspension of Israel’s participation in the UN General Assembly and other bodies.
A demand for the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel for its actions in the West Bank.
A call for the UN Security Council to hold Israel responsible for ensuring the safety of peacekeeping forces.
A recommendation to classify Israeli settlers as terrorist groups and to add them to national and international terrorist watchlists.
A warning against the consequences of violating the sovereignty of Iraq, Syria, and Iran, and a call for decisive UN action.
Advocacy for the immediate provision of humanitarian aid to Lebanon, including measures to support the large number of displaced individuals.
Emphasis on the need for reforms in Lebanon to enable friendly countries to provide support in addressing the nation’s crisis.
A statement on the risks posed by the escalating conflict in Gaza to regional and global security.
The initiative, led by Turkey and a coalition of 18 countries, has garnered support from 52 nations as well as the AL and OIC. The countries backing the initiative plan to send a letter to the UN Security Council, the President of the General Assembly, and the UN Secretary-General, urging a halt to arms supplies to Israel.
In December 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences of Israel’s policies and actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. On July 19, the ICJ issued its advisory opinion, stating that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful and infringes upon the Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
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Photo: David Berkowitz/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS