Jeddah (SONNA) – The open-ended extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee at the level of Foreign Ministers of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) commenced today, Wednesday, to discuss the ongoing crimes of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people and infringing on the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The meeting is being held at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah, with the participation of the heads of delegations from the Executive Committee and member states of the organization.
At the outset of the opening session of the meeting, His Excellency Dr. Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia, which holds the presidency of the 15th Islamic Summit Conference, stated: Today we stand at a critical junction in the history of our ummah, facing a crisis that threatens to unravel decades of diplomatic and plunge our world into deeper conflict.
He indicated that the recent events in Gaza and the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, in Tehran mark a significant escalation in the ongoing strife that already torn the hearts of every peace-loving individual here and abroad.
Dr. Tangara expressed grave concern over the continued illegal occupation of Palestine, describing it as a source of immense pain and suffering. He emphasized that this occupation not only undermines the prospects for a peaceful resolution but also exacerbates regional tensions. The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, he noted, has far-reaching consequences not just for the region but for the international community as well.
The Minister pointed out that Gaza’s economy, already weakened by years of blockade and previous conflicts, faces further disruptions. Critical infrastructure, including roads, factories, and farms, has been damaged or destroyed, further crippling economic activities. He warned that the escalation in Gaza risks broader regional instability, potentially leading to increased refugee flows and cross-border militant activities.
Dr. Tangara also stressed that the current situation tests the effectiveness of international and humanitarian law, particularly regarding the protection of civilians in conflict zones. He called on the global community to come together to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need and to work towards a sustainable political solution that promotes peace and security for all people in the region.
In conclusion, he reaffirmed the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nation-states as crucial for maintaining international order and promoting peaceful coexistence.
For his part, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mr. Hissein Brahim Taha, strongly condemned war crimes and genocide committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and the City of Al-Quds Ash-Sharif, the most recent of which was the assassination of Mr. Ismail Haniyeh, former Palestinian Prime Minister, while he was in Iran.
The Secretary-General stated that Israel’s persistence in these crimes, as it stops at nothing in breaking every international law and resolution, constitutes infringement upon Iran’s sovereignty and national security, in flagrant violation of the principles of international law and the provisions of the United Nations Charter.
Mr. Brahim Taha called upon the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities and take the necessary measures to compel Israel, the occupying power, to respect the rule of international law and stop its aggression and attacks that threaten regional and international peace and security, demand to an immediate and comprehensive cessation of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and avoid the risk of full-scale regional war that would undermine the security and stability of the entire Middle East region.
The Secretary-General stressed the need to mobilize joint efforts to compel Israel to abide by the international legitimacy resolutions, and to take the necessary measures to implement the recent advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice regarding the illegality of the Israeli occupation and holding it accountable for all its crimes, in accordance with the international criminal law.
The Secretary-General also condemned all illegal Israeli measures, including vetoing resolutions on the establishment of a Palestinian state, and designation of UNRWA as a terrorist organization. He called for providing more political and financial support to UNRWA’s budget, to enable it to exercise its vital role in providing basic services to Palestinian refugees and contributing to alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
Hissein Brahim Taha also called on the key players in the international community to sponsor a political process to end the Israeli occupation and achieve peace based on the vision of the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, and to expand recognition of the State of Palestine and support its membership in the United Nations.
In this context, His Excellency the Secretary-General praised the tremendous efforts of the Ministerial Committee formed by the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh, chaired by His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who visited several major countries to hold intensive consultations to resolve the Palestinian issue.
Prior to the meeting, the OIC Secretary-General met with Ali Bagheri Kani, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran. During the meeting, held in the Secretary-General’s office, both sides reviewed regional developments and a number of issues of mutual interest.
The Acting Foreign Minister of Iran reaffirmed Iran’s support for the OIC and its primary cause, the Palestinian cause. In turn, the OIC Secretary-General emphasized the priority that the Palestinian cause holds on the agenda of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
It is worth noting that the Executive Committee meeting of the OIC is taking place amid the ongoing crimes of the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip. These actions have so far resulted in the deaths of more than 40,000 martyrs, the injury of over 91,000 Palestinian citizens—most of whom are women and children—and the destruction of civilian properties, including 430,000 homes, as well as critical infrastructure, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, places of worship, and historical sites. Nearly two million Palestinians have also been displaced from their homes.
Source: UNA
