Cairo: The Arab League Council has called on the global community to intervene in breaking the siege on Gaza and urged the United Nations Security Council to mandate Israel to allow aid into the region. The Council of the League of Arab States, at the level of permanent representatives, has emphasized the need for immediate international action to halt Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, acknowledge the humanitarian crisis, and ensure the delivery of much-needed aid.
According to Union of OIC News Agencies, the extraordinary session of the Council, titled “Political and diplomatic action to confront the policy of starvation and siege imposed on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip as a weapon of genocide,” resulted in a resolution urging the two non-permanent Arab members of the Security Council, Algeria and Somalia, to advocate for an emergency session. The goal is to issue a resolution obligating Israel to end the blockade and facilitate humanitarian aid entry.
The meeting was chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, at the behest of the State of Palestine, with support from member states and participation from Ambassador Hossam Zaki, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.
The Arab League Council highlighted the necessity of implementing resolutions from the Arab and Islamic Summit to lift the Israeli blockade, promote the entry of humanitarian convoys, and support organizations like UNRWA. The Council urged the international community, particularly the United States, to pressure Israel to open crossings and allow aid entry to save countless lives.
The resolution condemned mechanisms like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that are perceived as lacking legitimacy and being used as tools of aggression. It also addressed the Israeli occupation’s policies of displacement and ethnic cleansing as forms of genocide, referencing the Rome Statute and the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Furthermore, the resolution condemned the targeting of religious sites, such as the recent attack on the Latin Church in Gaza City, and punitive measures against the State of Palestine. It called for the immediate release of Palestinian tax funds and financial support to enable the Palestinian government to function.
The Council welcomed a statement from 28 countries, including several European Union member states, Canada, and others, demanding an end to the aggression and accountability for crimes against Palestinians. It stressed the importance of recognizing the State of Palestine to protect Palestinian rights.
The Arab League expressed solidarity with international officials facing pressure for supporting Palestinians and urged continued efforts to lift the Gaza siege. The resolution also tasked Arab League missions and ambassadors with conveying its contents to their capitals and requested the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States to report on its implementation at the next session.