Arab parliament launches international initiative to support Palestinian rights and pursue accountability

The Arab Parliament has launched an international parliamentary initiative aimed at mobilizing legislative bodies worldwide to increase pressure to end the Israeli occupation and hold those responsible for violations against Palestinians accountable.

The initiative was announced by Arab Parliament Speaker and Chairman of its Palestine Committee, Saad bin Salib Al-Otaibi, during the committee’s first meeting of the third session of the fourth legislative term.

Al-Otaibi called for moving beyond expressions of political solidarity with Palestinians toward coordinated international parliamentary action capable of translating political positions into concrete measures.

He emphasized that the Palestinian issue would remain a central priority for the Arab world, stressing the need to transform parliamentary resolutions and declarations into practical steps that could be monitored and evaluated.

The initiative includes efforts to strengthen accountability through the International Criminal Court, improve documentation of violations against Palestinians and mobilize international parliaments and organizations to address the conditions of Palestinian prisoners.

It also seeks to increase pressure to halt attacks against prisoners and oppose legislation that could threaten their lives.

Other priorities include protecting Al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, as well as ensuring that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) can continue carrying out its humanitarian responsibilities.

Addressing the situation in the Gaza Strip, Al-Otaibi urged the international community to take immediate action to stop the killing of civilians, destruction, starvation, blockade and forced displacement.

He also called for unrestricted humanitarian access and the reconstruction of Gaza under Palestinian responsibility, rejecting proposals to displace Palestinians or separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Regarding the occupied West Bank, Al-Otaibi warned against escalating settler attacks, settlement expansion and the seizure of Palestinian land.

He said these practices threatened the Palestinian presence in the territory and undermined prospects for achieving a just and lasting peace.

The initiative seeks to establish a broader framework for coordinated parliamentary engagement, combining diplomatic pressure, legal accountability and international advocacy in support of Palestinian rights.