The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) demanded immediate international action to end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories on Friday, and advance a two-state solution, warning that the crisis in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank poses growing risks to global peace and security, Anadolu reports.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the OIC Group during an Arria-formula meeting at UN headquarters, Türkiye’s UN Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz said the Palestinian issue has reached a point of urgency amid continuing violence and political deadlock.
“The need for practical measures to resolve the Palestine question and the crises in the Middle East have become more pressing in view of the broad implications for global peace and security,” said Yildiz.
The meeting focused on conditions in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and was organized by several member states of the UN Security Council, including the UK and France.
Yildiz condemned ongoing Israeli assaults on Palestinians across the occupied territories.
“The devastating war in Gaza, and ongoing assaults by Israel, the occupying power, on the Palestinian people and their rights, land, security and dignity across Occupied Palestine make it a matter of urgency to address the root causes.
“The illegal Israeli occupation must end,” he said.
The OIC statement referenced multiple UN resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 2334, which declared Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory to have “no legal validity,” and called for the implementation of a broader peace framework tied to Resolution 2803.
“We call for respect of the ceasefire in Gaza, which is being violated every day by Israel, and for the rigorous implementation of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict,” said Yildiz.
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Admission of Palestine as full UN member
The OIC praised the recent adoption of the “New York Declaration” by the UN General Assembly, calling it “the most credible pathway” toward realizing Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
The statement cited the July 2024 advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice as a legal basis for ending what it called the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory.
Yildiz strongly condemned Israeli settlement expansion, annexation efforts, settler violence and actions affecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in East Jerusalem, particularly the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
“We condemn the Israeli violations of the historical and legal status of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in the Occupied Jerusalem. The Occupying Power has no sovereignty over any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
“We condemn all colonization measures, including seizure and demolition of Palestinian homes and expulsion of Palestinian families. Such illegal actions must stop,” he said.
The OIC also criticized Israel’s withholding of Palestinian tax revenues, arguing that the policy undermines the Palestinian Authority’s ability to govern.
Yildiz also renewed the organization’s call for full UN membership for Palestine.
“We reiterate our appeal to the Council to respond to the global call for admission of the State of Palestine as a full member of the UN,” he said, describing the move as a meaningful step toward resolving “this historic injustice.”
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