Arab, Islamic, African Mechanism Established to Support Palestinian Cause

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Reuters)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Reuters)
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Arab, Islamic, African Mechanism Established to Support Palestinian Cause

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Reuters)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (Reuters)

The Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the African Union (AU) signed a tripartite agreement on Monday to support the Palestinian cause, during the Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh.

The move was praised by the summit, especially for the African Union’s strong position on the issue.

According to information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, the mechanism will be coordinated through the organizations’ secretariats. Representatives will meet regularly to align their positions and strengthen their influence in international forums.

Joint coordination meetings will be held soon to finalize the details of the agreement.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan welcomed the cooperation, noting that the three organizations will now speak with one voice internationally, instead of through individual bilateral talks.

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit added that while Arab-African and Arab-Islamic cooperation already exists, this is the first time an agreement has united the three organizations on this issue.

He said the agreement will expand cooperation and set a clear strategy moving forward.



Saudi FM Says Hopeful Gaza Ceasefire Will Hold 

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attends the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attends the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2025. (Reuters)
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Saudi FM Says Hopeful Gaza Ceasefire Will Hold 

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attends the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attends the 55th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2025. (Reuters)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said on Wednesday that it was a “responsibility of all of us in the region” to keep the ceasefire in Gaza on track.

“I am hopeful Gaza ceasefire will hold,” he said from the World Economic Forum in Davos, according to Reuters.

On Tuesday, the Saudi government hoped on that the ceasefire would end the “barbaric Israeli war” and help address the root cause of the conflict by allowing the Palestinian people to achieve their rights, starting with the establishment of an independent state based on the 1967 border and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect on Sunday following 15 months of a brutal war that left the Gaza Strip in ruins.

The first phase of the truce, lasting 42 days, will include Hamas’ release of 33 Israeli hostages, while Israel will release 1,904 Palestinian detainees.

Negotiations over the second phase of the deal will take place on February 3.