Gaza Crisis: Body Of Muslim Countries To Hold Urgent Ministerial Meeting
Saudi Arabia, currently presiding over the Islamic Summit and the Executive Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has extended an invitation to address the escalating military crisis in Gaza and its surrounding areas, along with the deteriorating conditions threatening the lives of civilians and the overall regional security.
Following a continuous week of unrelenting Israeli airstrikes, the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip are swiftly declining. With a population exceeding 2.3 million, Gaza has endured a stringent land, sea, and air blockade since 2007. Last week, Israel declared the imposition of a “comprehensive siege” on the strip, citing a response to the October 7 attack by Hamas, which, according to Israeli authorities, resulted in the tragic loss of more than 1,300 lives.
Saudi Arabia, known for housing Islam”s most sacred sites and the important constituent of the OIC, has historically refrained from acknowledging Israel and abstained from participating in the 2020 US-mediated Abraham Accords. These Accords led to neighboring Gulf states like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, along with Morocco, formalizing their relations with Israel.
The administration of US President Joe Biden had been exerting significant pressure in recent months, urging Saudi Arabia to follow suit.
Guided by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto leader and son of the aging King Salman, Riyadh had outlined certain conditions for normalizing relations. These conditions included security assurances from Washington and assistance in the development of a civilian nuclear program.
Since the war broke out from October 7, the gulf kingdom has been reiterating the support for Gaza and has strongly condemned the forced displacement of Palestinians within Gaza and the assaults on “vulnerable civilians,” marking its most robust criticism of Israel since the conflict commenced.
The OIC”s Executive Committee is set to convene an extraordinary, open-ended ministerial-level meeting, in light of these pressing concerns. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 18, 2023, and will take place at the General Secretariat headquarters in Jeddah Governorate, Saudi Arabia. This gathering aims to address the immediate crisis and discuss strategies for safeguarding regional stability.
The OIC is an international organization comprising 57 member states, representing the collective interests of the Muslim world. It was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The OIC provides a platform for member states to collaborate on various matters, including political conflicts, economic development, humanitarian issues, and cultural exchanges.
