Foreign ministers from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, and Morocco, have issued a joint statement expressing their strong condemnation of violence against civilians and all forms of terrorism, and rejecting any attempts to resolve the Palestinian issue at the expense of the Palestinian people and the region’s nations.
The ministers expressed their disapproval of both individual and collective forced displacement and policies of collective punishment, decrying any forced expulsion of the Palestinian people from their land, describing it as a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime.
The statement also condemned violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, by any party, particularly when it involves targeting civilian infrastructure.
The statement called for upholding the Geneva Conventions of 1949, particularly in relation to the responsibilities of the occupying power. It also emphasized the need for the immediate release of hostages and civilian detainees, ensuring they are treated in accordance with international law, with recognition of the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in this regard.
The foreign ministers made it clear that the right to self-defense, as guaranteed by the United Nations Charter, does not justify blatant violations of international law and humanitarian law or the intentional disregard for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and the ending of the prolonged occupation.
The statement called on the United Nations Security Council to compel all parties to an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, warning that failing to accurately describe egregious violations of international humanitarian law amounts to a green light for the continuation of such practices and complicity in their commission.
The ministers called for ensuring and facilitating rapid, safe, and sustainable access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip without obstacles, in line with relevant humanitarian principles. They urged the mobilization of additional resources in collaboration with the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, particularly UNRWA.
The statement expressed deep concern about the potential expansion of the current confrontations and the spread of conflict to other areas in the Middle East. It called on all parties to exercise restraint, emphasizing that an expansion of this conflict would have serious consequences for the people of the region and international peace and security.
The ministers also voiced their concern about the escalating violence in the West Bank and called on the international community to support and strengthen the Palestinian national authority, providing financial support to the Palestinian people through Palestinian institutions.
The statement emphasized that the absence of a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has led to a repetition of violence and suffering for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples and the region’s nations.
The ministers stressed the need for the international community, particularly the Security Council, to take on its role in actively pursuing peace in the Middle East. They called for swift, sincere, and coordinated actions to resolve the conflict and implement a two-state solution, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions. This should lead to the establishment of an independent, sovereign State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the pre-June 4, 1967 borders.