Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Executive Committee, which was convened at the foreign ministers' level.
The meeting was presided over by His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Riad Al Maliki, the Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, and Hissein Brahim Taha, the Secretary-General of the OIC, were also in attendance.
During the meeting, Dr. Al Zayani conveyed Bahrain's condolences and sympathy to President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian people in the wake of the Israeli airstrikes on Al-Ahly Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which resulted in the loss of lives and injuries among numerous innocent Palestinians. He also extended these sentiments to all who lost their lives in the military confrontations in the Gaza Strip and wished a swift recovery to the injured.
The Bahraini Foreign Minister expressed his concerns about the critical developments unfolding in the Gaza Strip, marked by the ongoing armed conflict between Hamas and Israeli forces. He called upon all parties to exercise restraint, seek calm, and bring an end to the hostilities in order to safeguard lives, properties, and regional security and stability.
Dr. Al Zayani highlighted the efforts of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, including constructive discussions with UK officials and a meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis in Vatican City. His Majesty also discussed with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni the necessity of halting military escalation, prioritizing the protection of civilians, and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid and medical assistance.
The minister underscored the importance of fostering tolerance, human coexistence, communication, and the principles of just and comprehensive peace.
Dr. Al Zayani expressed his gratitude to the OIC, the Arab League, and various countries for their continuous endeavors to halt the destructive war, which poses a grave threat to regional security, stability, and the well-being of the region's people, as well as a global crisis jeopardizing international peace and security.
The ongoing escalation in the Gaza Strip, he emphasized, necessitates immediate action by the international community to cease the hostilities and urged all parties to engage in dialogue and peaceful negotiations to bring about a cessation of hostilities and alleviate the suffering of civilians.
The minister reaffirmed the importance of international legitimacy resolutions related to the Palestinian cause and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. He called upon the UN Security Council to assume its responsibility by issuing a resolution on the escalation, requiring both sides to adhere to international law and humanitarian principles.
Dr. Al Zayani stressed the Middle East's need for stability, security, and a lasting peace, emphasizing the significance of dialogue, understandings, and political settlements in accordance with international law and legitimacy resolutions. He reiterated the need for all parties to adhere to these resolutions to facilitate a peaceful settlement, end conflict and human suffering, and open new prospects for comprehensive and sustainable peace in Palestine and the broader region.