JEDDAH, 12 July — Saudi Arabia and five other Gulf Cooperation Council states yesterday called for a quick and effective international action to halt Israel’s military campaign in occupied Palestinian territories.
In a statement at the end of an extraordinary meeting here yesterday, the GCC foreign ministers warned that the current Israeli military escalation would push the region to a dangerous abyss.
The meeting, which lasted six hours, criticized the international community for keeping mum on Israel’s brutal attacks and its economic and political siege of the Palestinians. “Such oppressive policies will have dangerous consequences,” the meeting said and called for putting an end to Israeli excesses and violations.
The meeting commended the outcome of a six-nation tour of Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, who used this occasion to mobilize world opinion in favor of the Palestinians.
Prince Abdullah, who visited Syria, Germany, Sweden, Morocco, France and Egypt, lashed out at Israel’s attempt at the brutal suppression of the Palestinian uprising which erupted last September. He said Israel would commit a “fatal mistake” if it missed out on making peace with its Arab neighbors.
The ministers from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates expressed their deep concern over the worsening situation in West Bank and Gaza due to Israel’s oppressive acts.
“The meeting emphasized the need for a quick and effective move by the international community, especially the United States, to establish peace,” the statement said.
Earlier, opening the one-day meeting, Sheikh Muhammad ibn Mubarak Al-Khalifa of Bahrain described the land under the Palestinian Authority as occupied territory.
The emergency meeting called by Saudi Arabia examined means to support the Palestinians in the face of Israel’s aggressive policies. Prince Saud Al-Faisal led the Kingdom’s delegation to the meeting.
Sheikh Muhammad blasted the Israeli aggression and its policy of laying siege to the autonomous areas, cutting of food supplies. The Bahraini foreign minister, current chairman of the GCC Ministerial Council, asserted the GCC states’ keenness to defend the just Arab causes, especially the Palestinian issue which he called as “the first Arab issue.”
The GCC meeting held Israel responsible for the escalation of violence in the Palestinian territories. It also called for financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority “to confront the dangerous situation.”
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sheikh Muhammad said the ministers had discussed all issues related to Arab rights in the wake of Israeli escalation. He did not elaborate.
The meeting urged Israel to lift the siege of Palestinian territories. “It condemned the Jewish state’s move to expand violence to neighboring countries,” the statement said in reference to Israel’s recent attack on a Syrian post in Lebanon.
The six ministers — Prince Saud, Sheikh Muhammad, Sheikh Hamad ibn Jasim Al-Thani of Qatar, Rashid Abdullah Al-Nuaimi of the UAE, Sheikh Muhammad ibn Sabah Al-Sabah of Kuwait and Yousuf ibn Alawi Abdullah of Oman — held a closed-door meeting at the Conference Palace without their delegations. It was attended by GCC Secretary-General Jameel Al-Hujeilan.
In a related development, the Popular Committee for the Support of Palestinian Mujahedeen yesterday transferred SR2.225 million to the Palestinian Authority. This was disclosed by Abdul Raheem Jamoos, director of the committee’s office in Riyadh. The Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank gave $54 million on Tuesday in fresh aid to the Palestinian Authority.
