Assistant Secretary-General of Arab League to QNA: Arab Summit aims to adopt unified stance on Palestinian issue

Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories at the Arab League Ambassador Dr. Said Abu Ali stressed that the Arab Summit in Bahrain comes during an exceptionally dangerous and challenging time, particularly regarding the Palestinian issue, which faces a pivotal and decisive historic moment. He noted that Arab efforts aim to adopt a unified and coordinated stance during the Summit, and to intensify international efforts to enable Palestine to obtain full membership in the United Nations.

In an interview with the Qatar News Agency (QNA), the Assistant Secretary-General explained that there are hopes pinned on the Arab Summit regarding the Palestinian issue, which tops the agenda as it always did in previous Arab summits, due it being the central issue of the Arab nations. He pointed out that the aspiration for a unified and coordinated Arab stance on this central issue comes in light of the need to address the root causes of the tragedy in Gaza, not just to halt Israeli aggression, as the essence lies in occupation and the repeated Israeli wars of aggression.

He affirmed that there are serious and existential challenges facing the Palestinian issue amid the genocidal war, starvation, and displacement inflicted upon the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza, as well as the aggression in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, through the 'official terrorism' practiced by armed settler groups under the protection of the Israeli army. In this regard, he added that the Palestinian issue faces a pivotal and decisive historic moment, where the Palestinian people hope for the support of their Arab nation to confront this serious challenge. Therefore, there is great hope that the creation of plans and programs capable of confronting this challenge would continue at Arab League's summits.

Regarding Arab efforts to stop Israeli aggression and provide aid to the Gaza Strip, Dr. Said Abu Ali pointed out that there is continuous Arab activity and movement at all levels to confront the aggressive war on Gaza. This includes the implementation of decisions and the formation of committees to continue and monitor the implementation of decisions from successive Arab summits, he added, noting that the Arab Summit in Bahrain represents a station for evaluating and building on what has been accomplished. He also highlighted recent Arab diplomatic efforts and activities at the international level, which contributed to supporting the Palestinian people.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories at the Arab League commended joint Arab efforts in this matter, including the role played by the State of Qatar since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza, particularly in advocating for the Palestinian cause. He noted that Qatar's continuous support for Palestinian struggle and resilience is highly appreciated by the Palestinian people, adding that the Qatari diplomacy exerts significant efforts persistently to halt this war, while continuing to provide humanitarian aid, despite continuous attempts by the Israeli government to undermine Qatar's crucial role.

He added that the State of Qatar makes coordinated efforts with Arab states and within the context of joint Arab efforts, as well as with Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan, to stop the destructive aggression and genocide targeting the people of Gaza, intensify support and relief efforts. Additionally, Qatar's role seeks to provide a political horizon that addresses the root causes of the successive crises and puts an end to them by working to end the occupation and establish the Palestinian state.

Regarding international developments concerning the Palestinian issue, the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League considered that addressing this issue lies not only in field developments and monitoring aggression and crimes but also in international efforts to confront this aggression, pass humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza, and work at political, diplomatic, legal, and media levels. He emphasized that ending the occupation and achieving a two-state solution now clearly expresses the will of the international community to meet the minimum Palestinian rights to freedom and independence, and enable the Palestinian state to exercise its right to independence and sovereignty, with its capital in East Jerusalem.

Regarding efforts to recognize the Palestinian state, Abu Ali noted the importance of having a path starting with the recognition of the Palestinian state and passing through international sponsorship via a international conference with defined principles, objectives, and a timeline to end the occupation and enable the Palestinian state to exercise its natural right to sovereignty and independence. He clarified that this path is embodied in the current Arab effort to address the causes and roots of the conflict and reach the desired peace for the region and the Arab nation.

He stated that despite the significant and extreme dangerous challenges, there is an opportunity and hope for such a political breakthrough thanks to Arab diplomacy, which is based on Arab summit decisions. The Bahrain Summit can play a role in this regard, especially given the more favorable international conditions for understanding the reasons for the conflict and the necessity of providing mechanisms capable of achieving a solution that reflects the belief of the international community, which is the two-state solution.

Regarding Palestine's attainment of full membership in the United Nations, Abu Ali emphasized the importance of the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly last Friday. This resolution affirmed Palestine's right to full membership in the international organization and recommended that the United Nations Security Council reconsider Palestine's request. The resolution received wide support from 143 countries, reflecting a genuine international will to grant the Palestinian people this legitimate right. However, Abu Ali also pointed out that the United States' veto against a resolution presented by Algeria to grant Palestine full membership in the United Nations earlier was disappointing.

He added that the US administration continues to take this unilateral stance in the Security Council. This time, it voted against the natural right of the Palestinian state, amidst broad support from Security Council members, with twelve members voting in favor and two abstaining. He pointed out that the US position is isolated in the face of international will and a broad international stance to approve the right of Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations.

Regarding the possibility of intensifying efforts to capitalize on the current international will to secure the rights of the Palestinian people, the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League added that the available international will can be built upon. This includes providing alternative legal mechanisms or assistance to reintroduce the matter to the Security Council in light of the resolution issued by the UN General Assembly, in addition to presenting the issue repeatedly to wrestle this right from the Security Council, a pursuit undertaken by many countries as part of their struggle to achieve and acquire full membership in the United Nations.

Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories at the Arab League Ambassador Dr. Said Abu Ali added that Palestine faces the same reality in repeating attempts or resorting to other legal mechanisms, which ultimately, will achieve this Arab right through intensifying efforts in various political forums to obtain full membership in the United Nations. He noted that this Arab-Palestinian goal will be among the outcomes of the Arab Summit.