Members of the ministerial committee appointed by the Joint Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, led by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, held an official discussion session last night in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The session included high-level officials from Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, and Turkey.
The ministerial committee members emphasized their demand for the United States to take necessary actions to push Israel towards an immediate ceasefire. They expressed their displeasure over the United States’ use of the veto power, which prevented the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for humanitarian reasons.
The committee members reiterated their unified stance against the continued Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people in Gaza. They called for an immediate and complete ceasefire and the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, emphasizing the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the need to lift restrictions impeding the entry of humanitarian aid into the area.
They also expressed their rejection of all forced displacement operations attempted by the Israeli occupation, affirming the importance of adhering to international law and humanitarian law. The committee members stressed the need to create a political environment conducive to a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, in accordance with relevant international resolutions. They rejected any attempts to fragment the Palestinian issue and discuss the future of the Gaza Strip in isolation from the broader Palestinian cause.
The United Nations Security Council recently failed to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, largely due to a veto by the United States. The resolution, which was put forward by the United Arab Emirates, received significant support with 13 members voting in favor and the United Kingdom abstaining. Despite this, the US veto prevented its adoption.
The resolution was a response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, which has led to a catastrophic humanitarian situation. The draft resolution called for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages, alongside a demand for warring parties to comply with their obligations under international law, particularly regarding the protection of civilians in both Palestine and Israel.
Several nations expressed their views during the Security Council meeting. France, for example, supported the resolution but also wished the Council could have condemned the terrorist attacks by Hamas. The UK welcomed the humanitarian pause and the release of hostages but abstained from voting as the resolution did not deplore Hamas’ atrocities. China, one of the nearly 100 co-sponsors of the text, expressed deep disappointment at the veto.
