Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, has condemned the statements made by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, in a joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of 30 Arab and Islamic countries, as well as the Secretaries-General of the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The statement strongly denounced Netanyahu’s remarks regarding the so-called Greater Israel.
The joint statement emphasised that Netanyahu’s statements represent a blatant violation of international law and stable international relations. They pose a direct threat to Arab national security, state sovereignty; and regional and international peace.
Arab and Islamic countries reiterated their commitment to international legitimacy and the UN Charter, particularly the article prohibiting the use or threat of force. They pledged to adopt policies that promote peace and benefit all countries and peoples by prioritising security, stability and development over control and coercion.
Furthermore, the statement condemned the approval by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of a settlement plan in the E1 area and his racist rejection of a Palestinian state. These actions were deemed a violation of international law and an attack on the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders. Israel was reminded that it has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory.
The foreign ministers of Arab and Islamic countries also rejected the settlement plan and all illegal Israeli measures, citing Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemns Israeli settlement activities in occupied Palestinian territories. They supported the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion, which called for an immediate end to the Israeli occupation and reparations for damages caused.
Additionally, the ministers warned against Israeli policies aimed at annexing Palestinian territories and expanding settlements in the West Bank. They highlighted the threats posed to Islamic and Christian holy sites, such as the Al Aqsa Mosque, as well as settler terrorism and the displacement of Palestinians. These actions were seen as fuelling violence and hindering prospects for a comprehensive peace. — ONA
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