On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov hosted counterparts from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Moscow to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip amid the Israel-Hamas war.
The Arab-Islamic ministerial committee, as the group is called, has already visited China and travels to London and Paris on Wednesday, November 22, 2023.
The Arab-Islamic ministerial committee is headed by Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan.
It includes Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Riyad Malki, Jordanian Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Hussein Ibrahim Taha.
The Ministerial Committee seeks to push for a ceasefire and protect civilians in the Gaza Strip, allow the entry of humanitarian relief efforts, and find a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue based on the results of the Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh.
Speaking at the start of the talks in Moscow, Lavrov said that Russia condemns any form of terrorism.
He added that “terrorism must be fought using methods that don’t amount to collective punishment and don’t contradict, or to put it bluntly, rudely violate the norms of international humanitarian law.”
Lavrov also stressed the need to engage the countries of the region in the search for a long-term Israeli-Palestinian settlement, adding that they “understand better than anyone else how to reach a solution that will satisfy everyone.”
Lavrov also averred that Russia shares the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s assessment of the necessity of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“We call for the immediate start of preparations to resume the negotiation process regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state,” he said.
He pointed out that it is clear that the amount of humanitarian aid provided to the Gaza Strip is insufficient.
Lavrov explained that the reason for the failure of the International Quartet for the Middle East peace process to carry out its tasks was the lack of representatives from the Arab world, stressing the need to represent the countries of the region in developing mechanisms to end the conflict.
Calls For Urgent Measures To Halt Aggression In Gaza
The members of the ministerial committee stressed the importance of members of the Security Council and the international community taking effective and urgent measures to immediately stop the aggression in the Gaza Strip, stressing that this is a priority for all Arab and Islamic countries.
They emphasized the importance of immediately lifting the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, releasing prisoners and hostages, and reactivating a serious and just peace process that enjoys the support of international legitimacy.
The members of the Ministerial Committee called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities by rejecting all forms of selectivity in applying international legal and moral standards and turning a blind eye to the heinous crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces against defenseless Palestinian civilians, as well as the occupation’s violations against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
They also pointed out that the Israeli occupation’s continued violations of the rules of international law, and non-compliance with international legitimacy resolutions, the latest of which was the Security Council resolution last week, 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.
The committee pointed to the importance of immediately allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid, food, water, fuel and electricity to Gaza, which is a moral and legal responsibility for the entire international community, noting that depriving the people of Gaza of the basic requirements of life is a clear violation of international humanitarian law, especially the Fourth Geneva Convention.
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