(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The 160th ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held in Doha and chaired by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, called for a positive and serious response to the US President Joe Biden's announcement of the agreement reached regarding the ceasefire and Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the release of hostages and detainees, the safe return of displaced persons to their homes, and the provision of adequate humanitarian aid to civilians.
The Council stressed the need to build on this declaration to reach a political framework to resume negotiations in order to achieve comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, praising the efforts made by the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt to achieve a ceasefire and stop the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.
The Ministerial Council also condemned the continued Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, stressing that the GCC stands by the brotherly Palestinian people during the current developments in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings, demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire and halt of Israeli military operations, and ensuring the secure access of all humanitarian and relief aid and basic needs to the residents of Gaza.
Following is the statement issued by the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council in its 160th session:
The Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held its 160th session on Sunday, 3 Dhu al-Hijjah 1445 H, corresponding to June 9, 2024, in Doha, headed by HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, President of the current session.
The Ministerial Council was attended by Their Highnesses and Excellencies: HE Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, HH Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, HE Foreign Minister of the Sultanate of Oman Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al Yahya and HE Secretary General of the GCC Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi.
The meeting issued the following statement:
1. The Ministerial Council expressed its sincere condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran on the demise of HE the President, Dr Ebrahim Raisi, and HE the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and their companions in the presidential plane crash, praying to Allah the Almighty to shower them with His vast mercy and forgiveness.
2. The Council expressed its sincere condolences to the leadership, government and people of the Sultanate of Oman for the victims of the heavy and torrential rains that swept the state of Al Mudhaibi, praying to Allah the Almighty to shower them with His vast mercy and dwell them in His spacious paradise and to bestow patience on their families and loved ones.
3. The Ministerial Council congratulated HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, on the Kingdom's assumption of the presidency of the Arab Summit at its 33rd session, held in the Kingdom of Bahrain on May 16, 2024, appreciating the Kingdom's efforts in the distinguished preparation for the summit, and the results and the constructive results and decisions it achieved to enhance the process of joint Arab action.
4. The Ministerial Council welcomed the contents of the international conference held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, organized by the Muslim World League in Mecca under the title "Building Bridges between Islamic Schools of Thought and Sects" on March 17-18, 2024.
5. The Ministerial Council expressed its congratulations on the occasion of the issuance of the Amiri order by HH the Amir of the State of Kuwait Shaikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, appointing HH Shaikh Sabah Khaled Al Hamad Al Mubarak Al Sabah as Crown Prince, wishing His Highness the Crown Prince success and prosperity and the State of Kuwait continued success, progress and prosperity.
6. The Ministerial Council praised the success of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in hosting the special meeting of the World Economic Forum, under the slogan "Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development" on April 28-29, 2024, to discuss global economic issues and developments, and confront humanitarian, climate and economic challenges.
7. The Ministerial Council praised the success of the State of Qatar in hosting the fourth edition of the Qatar Economic Forum on May 14-16, 2024, to discuss economic challenges and opportunities in the Middle East and North Africa region.
8. The Ministerial Council welcomed the results of the second ministerial meeting of the Zero Neutrality Forum for Producers with the participation of the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the United States of America, Norway, and Canada on May 15, 2024, which was held in the city of Riyadh, praising the efforts made by member states in the field of managing Carbon and methane emissions reduction, to achieve zero neutrality goals by applying a carbon circular economy approach to clean energy transition.
9. The Ministerial Council blessed the launch of the Gulf Cooperation Council's vision for regional security, which aims to preserve the stability of the region, the prosperity of its countries and peoples, and enhance international peace and security.
The Ministerial Council reviewed developments in joint Gulf action and developments in political issues regionally and internationally, as follows:
Strengthening Joint Gulf Action:
10. The Ministerial Council reviewed the efforts made by the committees working within the framework of the GCC to implement the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with regards to strengthening joint Gulf action, which was approved by the Supreme Council at its 36th session in December 2015, directing to swiftly implement and complete it.
11. The Ministerial Council affirmed the continued strengthening of cooperation and integration among member states in order to implement the decisions of the Supreme Council regarding finalizing the requirements for completing the Customs Union by the end of 2024, and implementing complete equality of treatment among citizens of the Cooperation Council countries in the areas of the GCC common market.
12. The Ministerial Council reviewed the results of the first meeting of the Financial Investigations Committee, which included the committee's objectives and powers.
13. The Ministerial Council approved the Real Estate Stimulus Guide in the GCC countries, and the Guide to Evaluating the Resilience of Cities in the Field of Housing in the GCC Countries, as two guidelines.
The Ministerial Council condemned the continued Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, stressing that the GCC stands by the brotherly Palestinian people during the current developments in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings, demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire and halt of Israeli military operations, and ensuring the secure access of all humanitarian and relief aid and basic needs to the residents of Gaza.
15. The Ministerial Council holds Israel legally responsible before the international community for its ongoing violations and attacks against innocent civilians, which resulted in the killing of thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip, most of them women and children, in violation of international law and international humanitarian law, stressing the importance of ending the siege imposed on the Strip and to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, and calling on the international community to take a serious and resolute stance to provide protection for civilians in the Gaza Strip.
16. The Ministerial Council welcomed the decisions of the League of Arab States Council at the summit level in its 33rd regular session hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the declaration issued by the summit (Bahrain Declaration), and the statement of Arab leaders at the Bahrain Summit on the aggression against Gaza.
17. The Ministerial Council stressed the importance of continuing the work of the ministerial committee formed by the extraordinary joint Arab and Islamic summit in its efforts to stop the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and to promote international efforts to support the State of Palestine in gaining recognition from more countries worldwide and obtaining full membership in the United Nations, and organizing an international peace conference. The Council commended the Committee's meetings with the President of the European Council, the French President, and the Spanish Prime Minister. It also welcomed the statement issued by the meeting held by the Committee with foreign ministers of European countries on May 26, 2024, in Brussels, which was a continuation of the Riyadh meeting on April 29, 2024, and its emphasis on the importance of transforming the conflict into a political path to reach a final and rapid political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and taking irreversible steps to implement the two-state solution in line with international law and agreed-upon standards. The Ministerial Council also stressed the need to intensify efforts to build and support the Palestinian state politically and financially, on the basis of transparency and in accordance with agreed-upon mechanisms. Furthermore, it emphasized the importance of having a single Palestinian government in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza.
18. The Ministerial Council welcomed the results of the consultative ministerial meeting of the Arab Six-Party Group, which was hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on April 27, 2024, with the participation of the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the State of Palestine, which stressed the necessity of ending the war on Gaza Strip and reaching an immediate and complete ceasefire and ensuring the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, and the importance of taking irreversible steps to implement the two-state solution and recognize the State of Palestine.
19. The Ministerial Council called on the Security Council to take a binding decision under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter that guarantees the Israeli occupation forces' compliance with the immediate ceasefire and to halt the genocide against the Palestinian people and their forcible displacement, and the entry of humanitarian aid and the return of life to normal in the Gaza Strip, calling on the Security Council to implement its previous decisions for the Arab-Israeli conflict.
20. The Ministerial Council stressed the need for Israel to comply with Security Council Resolutions No. 2728, No. 2712, and No. 2720, stressing the need to expand the scope of the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians in the entire Gaza Strip, and to enhance their protection and lift all barriers that prevent the provision of humanitarian aid on a large scale.
21. The Ministerial Council welcomed the temporary precautionary measures issued by the International Court of Justice on March 28, 2024, by taking all necessary and effective measures to ensure the entry of basic food supplies into the Gaza Strip, and increasing land crossing points to facilitate the arrival of aid, which contributes to alleviating the effects of the crisis on civilians.
22. The Ministerial Council condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression against the city of Rafah, and the occupation forces' invasion of the land crossing between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Gaza Strip, and its closure to the entry of humanitarian aid to the residents of the Strip.
23. The Ministerial Council welcomed the decision of the International Court of Justice dated May 24, 2024, ordering Israel to immediately stop the military attack or any other actions in the Rafah Governorate, based on the Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide, and the necessity of opening the Rafah crossing for the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and ensuring the arrival of any commission of inquiry or fact-finding into the charge of genocide.
24. The Ministerial Council welcomed the adoption by the United Nations Human Rights Council, on April 5, 2024, of a resolution calling on all states to "cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel" in order to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people, calling on all countries to stop supporting the Israeli occupation authorities in their aggression against the Palestinian people and to ban the export of weapons and ammunition used by its army and settlers to target innocent civilians.
25. The Ministerial Council called for a positive and serious response to the US President's announcement on May 31, 2024, of the agreement reached regarding the ceasefire and Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the release of hostages and detainees, the safe return of displaced persons to their homes, and the provision of adequate humanitarian aid to civilians. The Council stressed the need to build on this declaration to reach a political framework to resume negotiations in order to achieve comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, praising the efforts made by the State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt to achieve a ceasefire and stop the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.
26. The Ministerial Council condemned the targeting of humanitarian and United Nations organizations by the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip, and the ongoing attacks by Israeli settlers on humanitarian aid convoys, stressing the responsibility of the Israeli occupation forces under international humanitarian law to protect these convoys, to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and not to obstruct the work of international organizations.
27. The Ministerial Council condemned the Israeli raid that targeted the convoy of the "World Central Kitchen" organization, on April 1, 2024, and led to the killing of a number of relief workers in the Gaza Strip, in a systematic continuation of the crimes and violations of the Israeli occupation of international humanitarian law.
28. The Ministerial Council condemned the continued destruction by Israeli forces of residential neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, universities, mosques, churches and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, including the targeting of Palestinian displaced camps in "Tal al-Sultan", west of Rafah, in a brutal raid on May 26, 2024, resulting in the death of more than 45 civilians and hundreds were injured, in clear violation of international humanitarian law.
29. The Ministerial Council expressed its support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land, warned against any attempts to displace them, and condemned the forced displacement of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
30. The Ministerial Council expressed its rejection of any justifications and pretexts for the continued Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and called on the international community to take the necessary measures, within the framework of international law, to respond to the practices of the Israeli government and the policy of collective punishment it pursues against the unarmed Gaza residents, and the Palestinian people.
31. The Ministerial Council called for the provision of international protection for the Palestinian people, demanding the protection of civilians, refraining from targeting them, and complying with and adhering to international law and international humanitarian law.
32. The Ministerial Council noted the efforts made by the GCC countries and the Arab countries at the political level to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian and relief assistance provided by the GCC countries to the Gaza Strip, and the popular campaigns to rescue the Palestinian people and introduce humanitarian aid to the besieged residents.
33. The Ministerial Council welcomed the convening of the International Conference for the Emergency Humanitarian Response in Gaza, organized jointly by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Arab Republic of Egypt, in Jordan on June 11, 2024.
The Palestinian Cause:
34. The Ministerial Council affirmed its firm positions on the centrality of the Palestinian cause, ending the Israeli occupation, and its support for the sovereignty of the Palestinian people over all the Palestinian territories occupied since June 1967. The Council called on all countries to complete the procedures for their recognition of the State of Palestine, and to take urgent collective action to achieve a permanent solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, with the aim of saving the Palestinian people from the suffering of destitution, genocide and human tragedy, and ensuring the return of refugees, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy resolutions, stressing the need to redouble the efforts of the international community to resolve the conflict, in a way that fulfils all the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people in accordance with those foundations, and the swift issuance of a resolution by the Security Council to complete international recognition of the independent State of Palestine and obtain full membership in the United Nations.
35. The Ministerial Council welcomed the initiatives announced by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, calling for an international peace conference in the Middle East to establish a national, independent, secure, and sovereign Palestinian state, and supporting efforts to recognize the Palestinian state at the international level and accept its full membership in the United Nations.
36. The Ministerial Council welcomed the positive decisions taken by the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Ireland and the Republic of Slovenia to recognize the State of Palestine, and urged the rest of the countries to take the same step, as this has a positive impact on peace efforts, reaching a final solution to the conflict, and achieving the two-state solution through the establishment of the Palestinian state.
37. The Ministerial Council affirmed the call of the Arab Summit at its 33rd session to deploy international protection and peacekeeping forces of the United Nations in the occupied Palestinian territory until the two-state solution is implemented.
38. The Ministerial Council expressed deep regret at the failure of the UN Security Council to adopt a draft resolution accepting full membership of the State of Palestine in the United Nations.
39. The Ministerial Council welcomed the decision of the United Nations General Assembly dated May 9, 2024, that the State of Palestine qualifies for full membership in the United Nations in accordance with Article 4 of its Charter, and called on the Security Council to positively reconsider completing the procedures for the State of Palestine's membership in the organization.
40. The Ministerial Council stressed the importance of holding an urgent international conference that brings together the parties and leads to fulfilling the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
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