MWL, GCC Hail ICJ's Advisory Opinion on Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Territories

A placard reading "Free Palestine, end Israel Occupation" is pictured on Parliament square, central London, on June 8, 2024 at the end of "National March for Gaza", calling to "end the genocide" and "stop arming Israel". (AFP)
A placard reading "Free Palestine, end Israel Occupation" is pictured on Parliament square, central London, on June 8, 2024 at the end of "National March for Gaza", calling to "end the genocide" and "stop arming Israel". (AFP)
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MWL, GCC Hail ICJ's Advisory Opinion on Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Territories

A placard reading "Free Palestine, end Israel Occupation" is pictured on Parliament square, central London, on June 8, 2024 at the end of "National March for Gaza", calling to "end the genocide" and "stop arming Israel". (AFP)
A placard reading "Free Palestine, end Israel Occupation" is pictured on Parliament square, central London, on June 8, 2024 at the end of "National March for Gaza", calling to "end the genocide" and "stop arming Israel". (AFP)

The Muslim World League (MWL) welcomed the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, affirming the illegality of the Israeli presence in the occupied Palestinian territories for 57 years.
In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Association of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa stressed the importance of this decision, which is a positive step towards the human and legal right of the Palestinian people to reach a just and comprehensive solution to their cause and to ensure obtaining their legitimate rights to self-determination and establishing their independent state in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international legitimacy resolutions, SPA reported.

The Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, also welcomed the opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, saying that it confirms and reinforces the Palestinian people's attainment of their legitimate and legal rights in accordance with international and United Nations resolutions to regain the Palestinian territories seized by the Israeli occupation forces
He pointed out that the settlement decisions and attempts to change the geography carried out by the Israeli occupation forces are illegitimate measures that do not enjoy any regional or international recognition, and do not change anything on the ground, stressing that the seized Palestinian territories will remain Palestinian and an inherent right of the Palestinian people.
Moreover, Albudaiwi reiterated the firm stances of the GCC countries towards the Palestinian issue, and support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to obtain their state.



Arab-Western Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh to Discuss Syria

Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives Asaad Al-Shibani in Riyadh (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives Asaad Al-Shibani in Riyadh (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
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Arab-Western Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh to Discuss Syria

Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives Asaad Al-Shibani in Riyadh (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives Asaad Al-Shibani in Riyadh (Saudi Foreign Ministry)

Riyadh hosted on Sunday a meeting bringing together foreign ministers from Arab and Western countries, as well as representatives of international and UN organizations, to discuss the situation in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime last month.

Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Asaad Al-Shibani, the foreign minister of Syria’s new administration, will attend the meeting, alongside UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen and Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Ahead of the broader discussions with European counterparts and representatives of participating organizations, Arab foreign ministers will hold a separate meeting to address the Syrian crisis, the same sources revealed.

The US State Department announced in a statement that Under Secretary of State John Bass will attend the multilateral meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia, to coordinate international support for the Syrian people.

The statement added that Bass will hold bilateral meetings during his visit to Riyadh from January 11-13 to discuss key regional and global priorities with Saudi and other international partners.

The Syrian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ayman Sousan, highlighted Saudi Arabia’s significant regional and global influence, emphasizing its “immense potential to assist Syria in overcoming the current challenges.”

Sousan, in a previous interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, praised the ongoing efforts led by the Kingdom under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the supervision of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He noted that Saudi Arabia have consistently extended assistance to Syrians since the start of the crisis in 2011, even when the previous regime obstructed aid delivery to manipulate its distribution.

The Kingdom has been delivering humanitarian aid to Syria in recent days via land and air bridges. These shipments include food, shelter, and medical supplies, aiming to alleviate the dire conditions faced by the Syrian people.

The aid efforts “have no set ceiling,” according to Saudi officials, and will remain in place until their goals of stabilizing the humanitarian situation are achieved, in line with directives from the Saudi leadership.

The Riyadh meeting follows a gathering held in Aqaba, Jordan, in mid-December, when the Ministerial Contact Committee on Syria reaffirmed its commitment to standing by the Syrian people and providing support during this critical period.

The committee, established by the Arab League, includes representatives from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, the League’s Secretary-General, and the foreign ministers of the UAE, Bahrain (the current chair of the Arab Summit), and Qatar.

The committee stressed the importance of a comprehensive and peaceful political transition in Syria, involving all political and social forces, including women, youth, and civil society. They emphasized that this process must be fair, inclusive, and guided by UN and Arab League principles, specifically UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The Aqaba meeting also featured the participation of foreign ministers from Türkiye, France, and the United States.