In the wake of the ‘Cairo Peace Summit’ held in Cairo on October 21st 2023, and in light of the ongoing escalation that began on Saturday, October 7th, in both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in the Gaza Strip, and in light of the continued loss of innocent civilian lives and flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law, the Foreign Ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the UnitedArab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the Kingdom of Morocco issued a statement on October 26th, 2023.
In the statement, it is highlighted that these countries condemn and reject the targeting of civilians, all acts of violence and terrorism against them, and all violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, by any party, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure and facilities.
Condemn individual or collective forced displacement, as well as collective punishment policies, reject any attempts to liquidate the Palestinian issue at the expense of the Palestinian people and the peoples of the region, or to displace the Palestinian people from their land in any way, considering it a serious violation of international humanitarian law and tantamount to a war crime.
They emphasize that it is necessary to commit to full respect for the 1949 Geneva Conventions, including matters related to the responsibilities of the occupying force. The statement also emphasises the necessity for the immediate release of hostages and detained civilians, ensuring their safe, dignified and humane treatment in accordance with international law. The statement emphasises the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in this regard.
In addition, they emohasize that the right to self-defence guaranteed by the United Nations Charter does not justify flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law, nor the deliberate neglect of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and the right to an end to the occupation that has lasted for decades.
These countries call on the UN Security Council to mandate the parties for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire.
They affirm that the failure to describe flagrant violations of international humanitarian law effectively constitutes a green light for the continuation of these practices and complicity in committing them, and they demand efforts to ensure and facilitate rapid, safe and sustainable access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip without obstacles, in accordance with relevant humanitarian principles and the mobilisation of additional resources. in cooperation with the United Nations and its organisations and agencies, especially UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East)
