New York, In a unified stance, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries demanded an end to the brutal aggression perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip, outright rejecting the characterization of this aggression as self-defense.
This came during the statement made by Omani Deputy Permanent Representative in the Permanent Delegation of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations in New York Khalid bin Saleh Al Rabkhi, on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries during the General Assemblys discussion of Item 35 entitled (The Question of Palestine).
The GCC countries praised Security Council Resolution 2712 issued on Nov. 15, 2023, which calls for a mandatory ceasefire, and supported the General Assemblys resolution issued during the emergency special session on Oct. 27, 2023, which stipulated an immediate ceasefire and the entry of aid.
The Council countries called for the immediate implementation of these decisions without restrictions or conditions and categorically rejected any efforts or approaches to forcibly displace the Palestinians from their land.
The GCC countries welcomed the humanitarian pause agreement achieved through the joint mediation of the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United States of America, between Israel and Hamas.
The GCC countries denounced the ongoing Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, including the use of internationally banned weapons. They urged the international community to hold the Israeli occupation authorities accountable for these inhumane crimes that are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
The GCC also firmly rejected and denounced any attempts to annex settlements in the West Bank to Israel, representing a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and relevant international resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 2334 of 2016, the 2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. The continuous construction of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories by Israel was also condemned.
Additionally, the GCC condemned the repeated incursions into the courtyards of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers under the protection of Israeli forces. These incursions were viewed as a serious breach of international law, a violation of the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and a provocation to Muslims worldwide.
The statement also rejected all Israeli practices aimed at altering the status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Source: Qatar News Agency
