Oman Voices Support for Morocco's Territorial Integrity

 Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaid (Asharq Al-Awsat)
 Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaid (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Oman Voices Support for Morocco's Territorial Integrity

 Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaid (Asharq Al-Awsat)
 Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaid (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Sultanate of Oman expressed on Tuesday its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and the Moroccan autonomy plan, calling it a “serious, realistic and credible” initiative and a “basis for resolving the issue” of the Moroccan Sahara.

This position was expressed in a joint statement issued at the end of the 6th session of the Moroccan-Omani Joint Commission, co-chaired by Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, and his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi.

The Sultanate of Oman “reiterated its support for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco” and affirmed, in this context, “its support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative as a basis for resolving this regional dispute.”

It also expressed its appreciation for “the wisdom of the Moroccan leadership in its commitment to a peaceful solution that serves security and stability in the Maghreb region.”

Oman hailed the pioneering role played by Morocco, under the enlightened leadership of King Mohammed VI, in strengthening regional and international security and stability, as well as the Sovereign's sustained efforts to consolidate the foundations of peace and development on the African continent, the statement added.

For its part, the Moroccan side lauded the distinguished role of Oman, under the wise leadership of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, in consolidating the foundations of peace and security in its regional and international environment.

The two sides also stressed the importance of joint Arab action, insisting on the right of Arab states to defend their integrity and sovereignty, to strengthen their security and stability through the promotion of the values of mutual assistance, solidarity and good neighborliness, and to refrain from any interference in the internal affairs of states and any threat to their territorial integrity.

Oman then praised the sustained efforts of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to defend Jerusalem and its inhabitants, preserve its civilizational identity and its status as a symbol of tolerance and coexistence between monotheistic religions.

Morocco and the Sultanate of Oman reaffirmed their commitment to the political and legal status of Jerusalem, in accordance with the relevant international resolutions.

The two parties also reiterated their condemnation of extremism and terrorism in all their forms, whatever their pretexts and motivations, stressing that this dangerous scourge should in no way be associated with any civilization or religion.

They stressed the importance of joint regional and international efforts to combat and eradicate terrorism and its causes.



Medical Charity Condemns Israel's Use of Hunger as 'Weapon of War' in Gaza

A Palestinian boy at a garbage dump in central Gaza City, 12 May 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
A Palestinian boy at a garbage dump in central Gaza City, 12 May 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
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Medical Charity Condemns Israel's Use of Hunger as 'Weapon of War' in Gaza

A Palestinian boy at a garbage dump in central Gaza City, 12 May 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER
A Palestinian boy at a garbage dump in central Gaza City, 12 May 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED SABER

A months-long Israeli blockade is worsening acute malnutrition in the Gaza Strip, medical charity Medecins du Monde warned on Tuesday, accusing Israel of using hunger as "a weapon of war".

Israel halted all aid from entering the war-ravaged Palestinian territory on March 2, days before resuming its offensive triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.

The United Nations and aid agencies have repeatedly warned of a growing humanitarian catastrophe for the roughly 2.4 million people in Gaza, amid dwindling supplies of everything from fuel and medicine to food and clean water.

Aid reaches Gaza mainly through Israeli-controlled entry points, though the flow has fluctuated -- even before the March shutdown.

After more than a year and a half of war, acute malnutrition in Gaza has "reached levels comparable to those seen in countries facing prolonged humanitarian crises spanning several decades," AFP quoted Medecins du Monde as saying.

MDM said data from six health centers it runs in the Palestinian territory highlighted "the human responsibility for hunger in Gaza".

"Acute malnutrition rates among pregnant and breastfeeding women and children depend on the Israeli authorities' decisions to allow or block humanitarian aid," it said.

The medical charity said the peaks in acute malnutrition it observed in 2024 "coincided with the sharpest decline in the monthly number of trucks delivering aid to Gaza".

MDM said it saw a peak in child acute malnutrition of 17 percent in November, during a significant reduction of humanitarian aid.

Aid access is limited to Israeli-controlled crossings, with the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt closed since the Israeli army took control of the city in spring 2024.

Israeli authorities have closed the crossing points since March 2, saying they want to force Hamas to release hostages.

The security cabinet in early May approved the "possibility of humanitarian distribution, if necessary" in Gaza, but insisted there was "currently enough food".

The UN's World Food Program in late April said it had depleted all its food stocks in the territory.

"We are not witnessing a humanitarian crisis but a crisis of humanity and moral bankruptcy with the use of hunger as a weapon of war," said Jean-Francois Corty, president of MDM.

"The failure of other countries with the power to pressure the Israeli authorities to lift this deadly siege is unacceptable and could be seen as complicity under international law," he added.

In April, one in five pregnant or breastfeeding women and nearly one in four children MDM observed were suffering or were at high risk of acute malnutrition, the charity said.

The MDM report also detailed the domino effect of dwindling food reserves, as well as the destruction of agricultural facilities and sanitation systems, on the malnutrition crisis.

The organization said it could not officially declare famine underway due to a lack of comprehensive data covering the entire Palestinian territory.

The UN- and NGO-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warned Monday that Gaza was at "critical risk of famine", with 22 percent of the population facing an imminent humanitarian "catastrophe".