Muscat: The Arab Foreign Ministers Council on Thursday held an emergency meeting under the chairmanship of the Sultanate via videoconferencing.
Oman was represented at the meeting by Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, who heads the current session of the council.
Bin Alawi said that this extraordinary session is first one of its kind to be convened via virtual videoconferencing due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The meeting was called for by the State of Palestine, and supported by all Arab countries, to discuss action that Arab countries can take in view of Israel’s execution of plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, a step rejected by all.
The annexation is in contradiction of the international law, as well as international peace charters and the two-state solution, said Bin Alawi.
He added that, as part of the international community’s responsibility—particularly the Security Council and the UN general assembly, for the protection of global peace and security, notably in the Middle East—all Arab League member states call for international action to prevent Israel from carrying out its plan of settlement, occupation and annexation of Palestinian lands.
Israel’s execution of its scheme will threaten international peace and security and entail adverse consequences that nobody can predict, said Bin Alawi.
He added that Arab countries urge Israeli to work for peace in the interest of all.
Meanwhile, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Arab League said that the main purpose of the current extraordinary session of the Arab League Council is to sound the alarm on the regional and international risks involved in Israel’s annexation of parts of the West Bank.
He pointed out that Israel triggers tension in an already volatile region at a time the world is focusing on combating Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, which is setting new realities in the globe.
Arab countries also looked into ways of assisting the Palestinian government to overcome the negative impacts of the pandemic. —ONA
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