OIC ambassadors to boost efforts for immediate Gaza ceasefire

UNITED NATIONS: An OIC Ambassadorial meeting Thursday reviewed the developments in Gaza and the rest of Palestine and decided to take “additional measures” at the U.N. aimed at securing an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire in the war-ravaged enclave, according to the 57-member organization’s press release.

The meeting, held under the interim chairmanship of Pakistan UN Ambassador Munir Akram, was briefed on the grave situation in Gaza by Tunisian Ambassador Tarek Ladeb, in his capacity as the Chair of the Arab Group, and also by Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour.

The OIC press release said the meeting also discussed preparations for next week’s UN General Assembly’s meeting following the US veto on 20 February 2024 of the draft resolution calling, inter alia, for “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip. The 193-member Assembly meets after the exercise of veto by a permanent member of the Security Council to hold it accountable.

According to the press release, the OIC ambassadors expressed “unwavering solidarity” with the Palestinian people.

They also agreed to pursue “additional measures at the U.N. aimed at securing an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and an end to grave crimes being perpetrated by the Israeli occupying forces during the nearly 150- day period of military aggression against the Palestinian civilian population under Israel’s illegal occupation, most devastatingly in Gaza.

To this end, the OIC Group discussed various possible measures, including the following:

Provision of unimpeded and adequate humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and support for the mandate of UNRWA, the UN agency to assist Palestinians, and appeals for the reversal of the decisions of some donors to suspend their funding to it;

Enforcement of the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ);

Deployment of an impartial international mechanism for the protection of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank

Suspension of delivery of arms and ammunition to Israel

Imposition of commercial and visa sanctions on the Israeli settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem;

Additional legal and judicial measures to be pursued at the ICJ and ICC (International Criminal Court), aimed at seeking accountability for the violations of international law committed by Israel, the occupying power, as well as remedy and reparation for the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza, and,

Admission of the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations as a right and an essential step towards the realization of the two-State solution on the pre-1967 borders and a just, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestine question.