GCC ministers condemn Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories

A meeting of foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council on Sunday condemned Israel’s continued construction of settlement units in occupied Palestinian territories.

The 156th ministerial meeting was held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the GCC in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ministers rejected Israeli attempts to annex settlements or impose sovereignty over them, which they said was in contravention of international resolutions, most notably UN Security Council Resolution 2334. They also urged the international community to put pressure on the Israeli government to reverse its settlement policies.

The council also condemned Israel’s incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque and its attempts to Judaize Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, the council praised Saudi Arabia’s efforts, in cooperation with the Arab League and EU, to revive the Arab Peace Initiative and challenge Israeli breaches. It also praised the support of GCC countries for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.

The council also reaffirmed its support for the sovereignty of the Palestinian people in all Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The meeting lauded the success of Saudi Arabia in hosting several key international and regional events, including the 32nd Arab Summit in Jeddah, while emphasizing the significance of unifying Arab countries.

It also commended Saudi Arabia and the UAE for their achievements in space exploration, knowledge growth and scientific research.

The council also discussed enhancing joint Gulf action as well as developments concerning Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan, Libya, Afghanistan and the crisis in Ukraine.