Joint statement condemning Israeli escalation
In a unified stance, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, along with prominent Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia and Pakistan, issued a joint statement strongly condemning Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The statement noted that these attacks, which have resulted in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of Palestinians, represent a dangerous escalation that threatens to undermine the fragile efforts to achieve calm in the region.
Historical background of the conflict in Gaza
These condemnations come in the context of a long-standing and protracted conflict in the Gaza Strip, which has been under a tight Israeli blockade since 2007, resulting in a crippling humanitarian and economic crisis. Over the years, the Strip has endured several Israeli wars and military offensives that have caused widespread destruction of infrastructure and thousands of civilian casualties. The repeated violations of the ceasefire are part of a continuing pattern of violence that undermines any attempt at lasting stability or genuine reconstruction, and exacerbates the suffering of more than two million Palestinians living in the Strip.
The importance of a unified stance and its expected impact
This unified Arab and Islamic stance carries significant diplomatic weight on several levels. Regionally, it underscores the centrality of the Palestinian cause for these countries, despite various geopolitical challenges. Internationally, the statement aims to mobilize global public opinion and pressure international organizations, particularly the UN Security Council, to uphold their responsibilities in protecting Palestinian civilians and compelling Israel to respect international law and UN resolutions. This position also sends a clear message that the continuation of Israeli aggression directly undermines any ongoing efforts to revive the peace process and threatens the stability of the entire region.
A call for a just and comprehensive peace
In their statement, the ministers stressed that the recurrence of these violations undermines ongoing efforts to create the conditions necessary for a more stable security and humanitarian transition in Gaza. They called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and fully commit to the ceasefire to ensure its sustainability. They also reaffirmed their unwavering position on the need for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution and the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
