GCC Ministerial Council Expresses Deep Concern over Recent Regional Escalation

The Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council expressed on Monday its deep concern over the recent dangerous military escalation in the region and its impact on regional security and stability.

The council held an extraordinary meeting to discuss the escalation. It met at the headquarters of the Qatari Embassy in Tashkent on the sidelines of the joint ministerial meeting between the GCC and Central Asian countries.

In a statement, the council stressed the importance of reducing the escalation immediately to maintain the security and stability of the region. It underlined the need for all parties to make joint efforts and turn to diplomacy as an effective way to resolve conflicts, while exercising the utmost levels of self-restraint, and sparing the region and its people the dangers of war.

The council called for the United Nations Security Council to fulfill its responsibility toward maintaining international peace and security, especially in this region that is extremely sensitive to global peace and security, and to prevent the crisis from worsening, which would have serious consequences if it expanded.

The council reiterated the firm position of the GCC regarding the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, demanding an immediate ceasefire and end to Israeli military operations, ensuring the provision of access to all humanitarian and relief aid and basic needs. It stressed the need of operating electricity and water lines and allowing the entry of fuel, food and medicine for the residents of Gaza.

The GCC underscored the need for the international community to adopt effective policies and measures to reach an immediate ceasefire, as the continuation of this aggression has repercussions on the security and stability of the entire region and the continuation of tensions there.

It also demanded an end to the escalation and acts of violence against the Palestinians in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including the city of Jerusalem and the Islamic holy sites, and to stop settlement activity, land confiscation and attempts to displace the Palestinians from their lands.

The council called for an international conference with the participation of all parties to discuss all issues related to the Palestinian issue and to reach a solution based on ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The meeting was chaired by Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of the current session of the Ministerial Council Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

It was attended by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Oman’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al Yahya, and GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi.

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