GCC Secretary General Condemns Israel's’ Bombing of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza

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GCC logo
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GCC Secretary General Condemns Israel's’ Bombing of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza

GCC logo
GCC logo

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi expressed his strong condemnation of the brutal shelling by the Israeli occupation forces of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, Palestine, which resulted in the martyrdom and injury of hundreds of innocent civilians.
He said that targeting the hospital is glaring evidence of the serious violations by the Israeli occupation forces that do not recognize international conventions, treaties, and laws, adding that it is also proof of the recklessness of their practices, reported SPA on Wednesday.
He affirmed the firm positions of the GCC countries rejecting the repeated and serious Israeli violations, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities and duties to stop the acts of the Israeli occupation forces.



GCC Calls on Iraq to Withdraw Contentious Coordinates, Map Lodged with UN 

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. (GCC)
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. (GCC)
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GCC Calls on Iraq to Withdraw Contentious Coordinates, Map Lodged with UN 

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. (GCC)
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. (GCC)

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi called on Monday Iraq to withdraw the list of coordinates and the map lodged with the United Nations, which includes claims regarding Iraqi maritime zones.

In a statement, Albudaiwi said the coordinates and map infringe on Kuwait’s sovereignty over its maritime areas and shoals, including Fasht Al-Qaid and Fasht Al-Aij.

He underscored the importance of resorting to international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in a manner consistent with the understandings, agreements, and bilateral memoranda of understanding concluded between the two countries.

Albudaiwi reiterated the GCC’s steadfast positions and previous resolutions on Iraq's respect for Kuwait's sovereignty and territorial integrity and its categorical rejection of any violation of Kuwait's sovereignty.

"The GCC and Iraq are bound by deep-rooted historical relations and close ties based on mutual respect and good neighborliness," he stressed, noting that such claims undermine efforts to boost cooperation and bilateral relations between Iraq and Kuwait.

He hoped Baghdad would withdraw the list of coordinates and the map in order to bolster mutual trust, support the stability of relations, and enshrine commitment to relevant legal and international principles.


Saudi Arabia, Various Foreign Ministers Condemn Israel over West Bank Moves

FILE - This photo shows a construction site of new housing projects in the West Bank Israeli settlement of Givat Ze'ev, Monday, June 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File)
FILE - This photo shows a construction site of new housing projects in the West Bank Israeli settlement of Givat Ze'ev, Monday, June 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File)
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Saudi Arabia, Various Foreign Ministers Condemn Israel over West Bank Moves

FILE - This photo shows a construction site of new housing projects in the West Bank Israeli settlement of Givat Ze'ev, Monday, June 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File)
FILE - This photo shows a construction site of new housing projects in the West Bank Israeli settlement of Givat Ze'ev, Monday, June 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File)

The ‌foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Brazil, France, Spain, Türkiye and various other states condemned Israeli decisions that they said introduce sweeping extensions to unlawful Israeli control over the West Bank.

"Changes are wide-ranging, reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called Israeli ‘state land’, accelerating illegal settlement activity, and further entrenching Israeli administration," said the joint statement, ‌issued late ‌on Monday by the ‌Turkish Foreign ⁠Ministry.

Other countries to ⁠sign the statement included Egypt and Qatar, as well as the heads of the Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Reuters said.

Israel's cabinet on February 15 approved further ⁠measures to tighten Israel's control ‌over the occupied ‌West Bank and make it easier for ‌settlers to buy land, a move ‌Palestinians called a "de-facto annexation".

The West Bank is among the territories that Palestinians seek for a future independent state. Much ‌of it is under Israeli military control, with limited Palestinian self-rule ⁠in ⁠some areas run by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.

The joint statement said the settlements, and decisions designed to further them, are "a flagrant violation of international law" and a step towards "unacceptable de facto annexation".

It said they also undermine the ongoing efforts for peace and stability in the region and threaten any meaningful prospect of regional integration.


Mohammed bin Salman, Egypt’s Sisi Discuss Regional Developments

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)
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Mohammed bin Salman, Egypt’s Sisi Discuss Regional Developments

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held talks in Jeddah on Monday on developments in the Middle East. 

Meeting over an iftar banquet at the Salam palace, they discussed the close historic bilateral relations between their countries and means to develop them in various fields. They also reviewed several issues related to the Arab and Muslim arenas. 

Egyptian presidency spokesman Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy said Crown Prince Mohammed stressed to Sisi the “centrality” of relations between their countries, hoping to elevate them further to serve the interests of their people. 

Sisi, for his part, noted the “great development in the fraternal ties between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation in different fields.” 

The leaders discussed developments in Gaza, underlining the need for all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement and implement US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. They called for increasing humanitarian aid to the enclave and their unimpeded delivery, said El-Shennawy. 

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Jeddah on Monday. (SPA)

 

They expressed their rejection of attempts to displace the Palestinian people, adding that the solution to the crisis lies in launching a comprehensive political process that leads to the implementation of the two-state solution. 

Crown Prince Mohammed and Sisi also tackled several regional and international developments. They stressed the need to avert escalation and tensions in the region and to support peaceful solutions through dialogue. 

They called for bolstering Arab solidarity to confront challenges, while underscoring respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations. 

They agreed to maintain contacts and bolster consultations and political coordination to preserve regional stability, said El-Shennawy. 

The meeting was attended by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah; Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, and National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban; Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet for Shura Council Affairs Dr. Issam bin Saad bin Saeed; President of the General Intelligence Presidency Khalid Al-Humaidan. 

Also present were Egyptian FM Badr Abdelatty, chief of intelligence Hassan Rashad and other officials. 

Sisi departed Jeddah later on Monday and he was seen off by Crown Prince Mohammed.