Palestine president calls on Muslim states not to normalise ties with Israel

President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday called for the suspension of Israel’s membership in the United Nations unless it “commits to international law,” and urged Arab and Muslim states not to normalise ties with the occupation.

In his speech at the opening of the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Abbas said: “The international community has failed to halt Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.”

“Israeli assaults and the genocidal war in Gaza are being supported by the United States,” he continued, emphasising the “need for the United Nations Security Council [UNSC] to enforce a ceasefire on the Israeli aggression, facilitate aid to Gaza, and ensure the withdrawal of occupation forces.”

Abbas urged both the UNSC and the General Assembly to “suspend ‘Israel’s’ UN membership unless it adheres to international law.”

“The Arab and Islamic duty demands that we demonstrate the highest degree of solidarity and cooperation, given the international community’s failure to halt the aggression and genocidal warfare.”

Abbas called on global nations to “re-evaluate their relationships with the occupying state and refrain from normalising ties with it in light of its disregard for international law, acts of genocide, and targeting of UNRWA.”

He stressed the “necessity of safeguarding Jerusalem and supporting its people’s resilience while preserving Al-Aqsa Mosque and the historic and legal status of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the holy city.” He also highlighted the “importance of protecting and supporting UNRWA’s work, ensuring it can continue its mission in Palestine.”

The Arab-Islamic summit, chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, convened in Riyadh yesterday to discuss ceasefire measures in Gaza and Lebanon.

A key outcome of last year’s summit was the establishment of a contact group on Gaza, including Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, Indonesia and Nigeria. The goal of which is to halt the genocide in Gaza and achieve a two-state solution.

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