The 22nd Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC ) concluded in Jeddah with the issuance of a comprehensive final communiqué containing 38 key points addressing pressing geopolitical challenges facing the Islamic world. The meeting focused primarily on two main issues: the first concerning the blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the second pertaining to the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.
A firm stance towards the unity of Somalia and the security of the Red Sea
In a dangerous precedent threatening regional security in the Horn of Africa, the issue of Israeli interference in Somali affairs topped the meeting's agenda. The Council condemned in the strongest terms Israel's recognition of "Somaliland" as an independent state, deeming this action null and void, without legal effect, and a clear violation of the UN Charter and international law, which mandates respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.
Strategically, this move is not limited to Somalia's internal affairs; its impact extends to pose a direct threat to security in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, two vital arteries for global trade and international navigation. The organization has warned against attempts to militarize this crucial area or alter the geopolitical map of the Somali coast, reiterating its categorical rejection of any Israeli military or intelligence presence on Somali soil.
Key decisions concerning Somalia:
- Emphasizing that "Somaliland" is an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
- He rejected any diplomatic or economic dealings with the region outside the framework of the federal government.
- Supporting Somalia’s right to resort to international legal mechanisms to hold accountable those who violate its sovereignty.
- The international community has been warned that these steps fuel separatist tendencies and create fragile environments that could be exploited by extremist groups.
Escalation in Palestine: Rejection of displacement and support for UNRWA
On the other hand, the final statement devoted considerable space to developments in the occupied Palestinian territories. The organization reiterated its firm position that the Palestinian cause is the central issue for the Islamic nation, stressing the need for an immediate cessation of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
In the context of international humanitarian law, the statement warned against plans for the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, deeming it a war crime and ethnic cleansing. The meeting also addressed the fierce attack on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), emphasizing the agency's pivotal role and rejecting Israeli laws that seek to undermine its work or confiscate its facilities. It called on the international community to uphold its responsibilities in protecting UN organizations.
Key decisions to support Palestinian rights:
- Emphasizing the historical Jordanian Hashemite custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and considering the Jerusalem Waqf Administration as the exclusive authority responsible for managing Al-Aqsa Mosque.
- The call to activate the legal accountability track for Israel before the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
- The demand is for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the territories occupied in 1967 and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
- The international coalition supported the implementation of the two-state solution and urged countries that have not yet recognized Palestine to take this step.
This meeting comes at a very sensitive time, as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as the second largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations, seeks to unify the Islamic voice in international forums to push for respect for international legitimacy and to stop the policies of imposing a fait accompli pursued by the occupying powers.
