Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with the ministerial committee appointed by the Arab-Islamic Summit of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.
The ministerial committee, based on the outcomes of the Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh, aims to push for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians in Gaza, allowing humanitarian relief efforts, and finding a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue.
At the outset of the meeting, Minister Lavrov stated that Russia aligns with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in assessing the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza. He emphasized Russia's opposition to terrorism in any form but stressed the importance of combating it without violating international humanitarian law.
Minister Lavrov pointed out that the humanitarian aid provided to Gaza is evidently insufficient. He stated, "Russia calls for immediate preparations to resume negotiations on establishing the Palestinian state." He continued by noting that the international quartet for Middle East settlement does not include representatives from the Arab world, which has hindered its effectiveness. He underscored the need for the representation of regional countries in mechanisms for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The ministerial committee, arising from the joint Arab-Islamic extraordinary summit, held a meeting on Monday in the Chinese capital, Beijing. The meeting, chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and attended by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, included foreign ministers from Egypt Sameh Shoukry, Palestine Riyad Al-Maliki, Indonesia Retno Marsudi, Jordan Ayman Safadi, and the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hussein Ibrahim Taha.
