Dec 8, 2023. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
Cairo.
The foreign
ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have highlighted the
important role of the United States, as a permanent member of the Security
Council, to put an end to the war in Gaza and stop the continued Israeli
aggression against Palestinian civilians.
In a meeting with US Senator Ben Cardin, Chair of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, the Arab ministers said they look forward to a categorical position by the US with regard to providing protection to Palestinian civilians and ending humanitarian suffering of Gaza population.
This
aspired position comes in line with the provisions of international law and
international humanitarian law without selective practices with regard to
applying those standards, the ministers noted.
The foreign
ministers conveyed the unified position of the Arab and Islamic countries
regarding the inevitability of reaching a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. This
aims to preserve the lives of Palestinian civilians and allow the delivery of
urgent humanitarian and relief aid to the Palestinian people.
They
stressed the necessity of stopping Israeli policies of collective punishment
and holding them accountable for the violent bombing, siege, and total
destruction of infrastructure.
They also
underlined their categorical rejection of the policies of forced displacement
of Palestinians inside or outside their lands.
The foreign
ministers also stressed the importance of returning to the path of just and
lasting peace within a specific time frame to achieve coexistence in the region
on the basis of the two-state solution. They highlighted the need for
establishing an independent, viable and contiguous Palestinian State based on
the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
During the
meeting, Shoukry underlined the humanitarian and security risks of expanding
Israeli military operations in southern Gaza, which comes as a continuation of
the "inhumane" Israeli bombings and siege.
Israeli
occupation also forced the Palestinian civilians to flee to the southern Gaza
Strip and then besieging and targeting them under the pretext of their military
operations there, Shoukry said, considering this matter a "blatant
violation" that revealed Israel's indifference to all provisions of
international humanitarian law and its obligations as the occupying power.
Shoukry
called on all international parties to coordinate efforts to fully implement
the UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions to impose humanitarian
pause and achieve a permanent ceasefire.
He also
stressed the need to stop all Israeli attacks and violations against the
besieged Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Al Quds (occupied East
Jerusalem).
(Egyptian media)