Ashraf AboArafe
· Intensive visits to a number of decision-making capitals around the world carried out by the ministerial committee assigned by the Arab-Islamic Summit, headed by the Saudi Foreign Minister.
· The committee succeeded in conveying the truth about the Israeli aggression and formulating an international position demanding an immediate cessation of the war
· An Arab and Islamic affirmation by America, China, Russia, Britain and France to reject forced displacement and the necessity of a two-state solution.
· Refuting the reality of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza… and demanding that corridors for relief and medical aid be secured.
Great political efforts and diplomatic momentum are being led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the ministerial committee assigned by the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit, headed by Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister, to form an international will and desire that has begun to crystallize regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip.
Through the policy of building bridges with the world to stop the war in Gaza and refute the facts, the committee that emerged from the summit that was held in Riyadh last November 11 was launched by assigning the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia – in its capacity as president of the Arab and Islamic summits – and each of Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Indonesia. , Nigeria and Palestine, and the Secretaries-General of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and began taking immediate action on behalf of all member states to formulate an international move to stop the war on Gaza, and to press for the launch of a serious and real political process that ends with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and achieves permanent and comprehensive peace in accordance with approved international references.
Following this assignment, the committee began visits to a number of capitals of the world, and held meetings with a large group of the most prominent international decision-makers, targeting primarily the capitals of a number of permanent members of the Security Council, with the aim of advancing the process of stopping the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, and dealing with the humanitarian situation. The deteriorating situation, the introduction of aid in a sustainable manner, and the need to address the roots and causes of the crisis.
China…the first stop
In its first foreign stop, the Ministerial Committee landed in China, to meet with Vice President Han Jing and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in discussions during which Beijing affirmed its full support for the call issued by the Riyadh Summit for a two-state solution in accordance with the relevant international resolutions, calling on the international community to take action. To end the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.
In these discussions, the Ministerial Committee stressed the importance of immediately stopping the military escalation and the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, and quickly introducing the necessary humanitarian aid, to avoid the spread of the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, calling for the international community, especially the permanent members of the Security Council, to move effectively to deal with the crisis. And confront all the ongoing violations by the Israeli occupation forces and their repeated violations of international law and international humanitarian law.
The members of the Ministerial Committee also praised the positions taken by China, which are consistent with Arab and Islamic positions, pointing to the positive role played by China in the Security Council towards a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Russia
The Ministerial Committee headed east towards the Russian Federation to continue mobilizing the voices of the international community towards solidarity with the Arab position and stopping the Israeli war machine. At the end of November, it met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who praised the committee’s efforts towards a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, declaring his country’s support for this. Orientation, in accordance with UN resolutions, the peace summit in Cairo, and the joint Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh.
The Russian position rejecting what its Foreign Minister described as collective punishment against civilians in Gaza, was consistent with Arab visions that stressed creating the conditions for launching a comprehensive peace process that would enjoy the support of international legitimacy references and lead to a two-state solution, while the members of the Ministerial Committee declared clearly that the continuation of the Israeli occupation in Violations of the rules of international law and failure to adhere to the resolutions of international legitimacy weaken the legitimacy of the international system, the credibility of its defenders, and its ability to maintain peace, security, and regional stability in the future. It also fuels the motives of extremism and violence.
Britain
The Ministerial Committee, headed by His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, intensified its shuttle foreign tours. Immediately after the end of its visit to Russia, it headed to the British capital, London, to hold an official meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, during which it demanded the need for members of the Security Council and the international community to take action. To take effective and urgent measures for a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, reject all forms of selectivity in applying international legal and moral standards, and turn a blind eye to the heinous crimes committed by the occupation forces and settler militias against the Palestinian people, stressing that this is a priority for all Arab and Islamic countries.
Coinciding with the announcement of the humanitarian truce at the time, the committee discussed with the British Minister the importance of securing safe corridors for the delivery of humanitarian and food aid to Gaza, in addition to allowing international organizations to carry out their tasks in the Strip.
France
In Paris, members of the Ministerial Committee held an expanded meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, during which they asked him for a balanced role in accordance with international law, to reach an immediate and complete ceasefire, and implement all relevant international resolutions, stressing the need to revive the peace process and empower the Palestinian people. To obtain his legitimate rights to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Spain
Barcelona was the sixth stop on the tours of members of the ministerial committee assigned by the Arab-Islamic Summit
The extraordinary joint session, where the members of the committee met with the Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albarez, to discuss developments in the situation in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings, and what the humanitarian truce achieved in the release of some prisoners and their return to their families, in addition to discussing the efforts made for a sustainable ceasefire, in order to end violence and conflict. Which has been going on for a long time, and contributes to opening safe corridors for the delivery of urgent relief aid to the Gaza Strip.
The members of the committee renewed their demand that the international community assume its responsibilities by rejecting all forms of selectivity in applying international legal and moral standards and protecting the Palestinian people from crimes committed by the occupation forces.
United nations
At the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, on the twenty-ninth of last November, members of the Ministerial Committee met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, and the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, to discuss what the humanitarian truce had achieved by releasing some prisoners and to discuss the efforts made for an immediate ceasefire. In addition to the importance of the permanent member states of the Security Council fulfilling their responsibility to commit to protecting civilians and ensuring the application of the rules of international law and international humanitarian law.
The meetings touched on the importance of implementing the resolutions issued by the United Nations regarding the protection and security of the Palestinian people from violations committed by the Israeli occupation forces, and returning to the peace path by implementing international resolutions related to the two-state solution.
On the thirteenth of this December, the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of a draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for humanitarian reasons. The draft resolution received the approval of 153 members, while ten members rejected and 23 abstained from voting. The resolution, submitted by 21 Arab countries, demanded , for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons and reiterates the General Assembly’s call on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, especially with regard to the protection of civilians. It also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners, and to guarantee the arrival of humanitarian aid, referring to the message The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, addressed the Security Council under Article 99 of the United Nations Charter, in which he called for dealing with the Palestinian-Israeli crisis as a threat to international peace and security.
Intense political and media activity in Washington
At the beginning of this December, a delegation from the Ministerial Committee arrived in Washington, DC, where a meeting was held with members of the US House of Representatives and the Senate, to stress the importance of activating the role of parliaments and civil society institutions to urge governments to stop the violations practiced by the Israeli occupation authorities against the Palestinian people.
The members of the committee also held a press briefing for the international media, during which they stressed the importance of an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and protecting innocent civilians from the killing machine practiced by the Israeli occupation forces, noting that talking about the future of Gaza and the Palestinian issue must take place after the immediate ceasefire. To open fire and calm the unjustified military escalation, stressing at the same time the urgent need for a reliable and serious road map to establish a Palestinian state in accordance with the laws of international legitimacy.
The Ministerial Committee continued its intensive activity in Washington, where it held a discussion session at the Wilson Center International on developments in the Gaza Strip.
In this session, His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Chairman of the Ministerial Committee, confirmed that the military escalation in Gaza is not justified and violates all international laws and international humanitarian law, demanding an immediate ceasefire, indicating that the aid that was brought into the Gaza Strip is not sufficient given the size of the war. The crisis is in the Gaza Strip, and the international community must immediately provide safe ways for more medical, food and other aid to enter.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri clarified that the Rafah crossing was never closed and was never a point of siege to the Palestinians, stressing the importance of urgent and immediate action to provide relief aid to save the humanitarian situation from collapse.
US Secretary of State
At the conclusion of the visit to Washington, the members of the Ministerial Committee held an official session of discussions with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, which witnessed their demand that the United States of America assume its responsibilities and take the necessary measures to push the Israeli occupation towards an immediate ceasefire, expressing their dissatisfaction with the United States’ use of its veto. The veto, which prevented the issuance of a resolution by the UN Security Council, calls for the second time for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for humanitarian reasons.
The members of the Ministerial Committee expressed their position of completely rejecting all forced displacement operations, which the occupation seeks to implement, stressing the importance of adhering to international law and international humanitarian law, and their emphasis on confronting them at all levels.
The members of the Ministerial Committee reiterated their emphasis on creating a real political climate that leads to a two-state solution, and the embodiment of the State of Palestine along the lines of June 4, 1967, in accordance with the relevant international resolutions.
Canada
The members of the Ministerial Committee headed towards the Canadian capital, Ottawa, to meet with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Justin Trudeau, to reaffirm their dissatisfaction with the obstruction of the Security Council and United Nations resolutions calling for a ceasefire, and to take serious and urgent steps to ensure the security of relief corridors for the delivery of urgent humanitarian, food and medical aid to the Gaza Strip.
The members of the Committee also called for the international community to assume its responsibility towards returning to the path of comprehensive and just peace, in a way that preserves international peace and security, expressing their concern about the expanding scope of blatant attacks carried out by the occupation forces against civilians, and the repeated violations of the law.
