RIYADH: Fearing that the conflict may spread to other nations, the president of Iran and other Arab leaders vehemently denounced Israel’s actions in its war against Hamas in Gaza during their meeting on Saturday in the Saudi capital.
Middle East leaders slam Israel: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League are holding an emergency conference in response to the Hamas attacks, which according to Israeli sources resulted in around 1,200 deaths—mostly civilians—and 239 hostages.
Over 11,000 people have died as a result of Israel’s ensuing aerial and ground offensive, the majority of them were civilians and many of whom were children, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas.
The de facto ruler of the Gulf state, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, declared as the summit got underway on Saturday that host Saudi Arabia “confirms that it holds the occupation (Israeli) authorities responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinian people.”
Regarding Israel’s activities in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, he declared, “We are certain that the only way to guarantee security, peace, and stability in the region is to end the occupation, siege, and the settlements.”
During his first visit to Saudi Arabia after the two nations restored diplomatic relations in March, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi declared that Islamic nations should label the Israeli army as a “terrorist organization” due to its actions in Gaza.
Israel claims it is on a mission to destroy Hamas and holds the Palestinian armed organisation accountable for the high death toll. Hamas refutes the accusation that it is using people as “human shields.”
divisions by region
Originally, it was intended for the OIC, a 57-member group that includes Iran, and the Arab League to meet separately.
Arab diplomats told AFP that the Arab League delegates were unable to agree on a final statement, which led to the decision to combine the sessions.
According to the diplomats, some nations, such as Algeria and Lebanon, suggested cutting off diplomatic and economic relations that certain Arab League members have with Israel in response to the destruction in Gaza by threatening to cut off oil supply to Israel and its allies.
The plan was, however, rejected by at least three nations, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which restored diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020, according to the diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian organisation, criticised Arab leaders over the postponement and stated that it did not “expect anything” to come out of the summit.
During a news conference in Beirut, the deputy secretary-general of the group, Mohammad al-Hindi, stated, “We are not placing our hopes on such meetings, as we have seen their results over many years.”
“International Conference on Gaza Conflict: Consequences, Ceasefire Demands, and Global Reactions”
“This conference’s timing, coming after 35 days of fighting, is a sign of its consequences.”
Demands for a ceasefire have so far been rejected by Israel and the United States, which is its primary ally. This stance received harsh condemnation on Saturday.
Before leaving Tehran, Raisi declared, “The US has prevented the ceasefire in Gaza and is expanding the scope of the war.”
“It is a shame that Western countries, which always talk about human rights and freedoms, remain silent in the face of the ongoing massacres in Palestine,” stated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the conference.
Mahmud Abbas, the president of Palestine, countered that Washington “bears responsibility for the absence of a political solution” to the problem and that it has “the greatest influence on Israel.”
President of Iran in Riyadh
On Saturday, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria attended the event. This year, the Arab community welcomed President Bashar al-Assad back after a protracted break due to his nation’s civil conflict.
Since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited an OIC meeting in the kingdom in 2012, Raisi is the first Iranian president to visit the country.
Iran is the main cause for anxiety that the war may spread because it supports Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Huthi rebels in Yemen.
In response to the battle, the Israeli army and Hezbollah have initiated cross-border communications, and the Huthis have claimed credit for “ballistic missiles” that the rebels stated were headed for southern Israel.
Because of its tight ties to Washington and its consideration of normalising ties with Israel prior to the outbreak of the war, analysts say Saudi Arabia feels exposed to possible assaults.
During a panel discussion hosted by the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Kim Ghattas, the author of a book on the competition between Saudi Arabia and Iran, stated that “the Saudis are hoping that the fact they didn’t normalise yet, and the fact that they have a channel to the Iranians, gives them some protection.”
Additionally, she said, “the Iranians are hoping that it gives them some protection too, that their communication with the Saudis and maintenance of that channel will help them.”
