Saudi-led meeting calls for urgent sanctions on Israel
Ministers discuss repression of peaceful Western demonstrators calling for an end to the Gaza conflict
Ministers gathering in Riyadh to discuss the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip stressed the urgent need for imposing sanctions on Israel, the Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday.
Chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, the meeting, comprising dignitaries from a group formed jointly by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League, convened to address developments in Gaza. The ministers called for international legal mechanisms to hold Israeli officials accountable, alongside decisive action against settler terrorism. The officials from Jordan, Egypt, Turkiye, Palestine, Qatar and the OIC advocated for halting arms exports in response to Israel’s violations of international law and war crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
It was strongly asserted during the meeting that the Gaza Strip constitutes an inseparable part of the occupied Palestinian territory, rejecting any attempts to displace the Palestinian population from their homeland or to carry out military operations within the city of Rafah.
Ministers also addressed the repression faced by peaceful demonstrators in Western nations who advocate for an end to the conflict in Gaza and condemn Israeli violations against Palestinians.
The meeting also focused on enhancing joint Arab and Islamic efforts to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza, with a priority on safeguarding civilian lives and ensuring the consistent delivery of humanitarian aid.
There was a commitment to persist in international endeavors to recognize an independent Palestinian state. This included the endorsement of a two-state solution, with East Jerusalem as its capital within the borders of June 4, 1967, in alignment with relevant international resolutions.