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JEDDAH / WAM
Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State, headed the UAE delegation to the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was held at the headquarters of the organisation’s Secretariat General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The session was organised based on an invitation by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the current president of the OIC, Palestine, Jordan and Iran, to discuss recent developments and the current situation in the Palestinian Territory as well as the continuous Israeli attacks on the Palestinians. In a speech, Al Kaabi underscored the meeting reflected the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. Al Kaabi emphasised that the war requires comprehensive collaborative efforts to support achieving an immediate ceasefire, preserve the lives of civilians, provide them with urgent humanitarian aid, and foster regional and international security and stability.
Al Kaabi stated, “Following the outbreak of the crisis between the Palestinians and Israelis, the UAE began extensive diplomatic efforts at all levels aimed at restoring peace, with the primary focus on mitigating the severity of the humanitarian crisis through all available measures, safeguarding the lives of civilians and preserving facilities. The UAE stresses the need to immediately secure humanitarian corridors for the delivery of urgent relief aid.”
She reiterated that the UAE rejects Israel’s policy of collectively punishing the Palestinian people, its attempts to displace them, as well as destroying their properties and homes.
The UAE also condemns all practices that violate international and humanitarian law, and calls for Israel to halt settler violence and activities.
Minister Al Kaabi added, “As we continue calling for an end to this war, we must set a clear and transparent path towards restoring peace in the Middle East. This entails initiating serious negotiations to achieve the two-state solution to establish an independent Palestinian state, and provide a secure and stable life for the brotherly Palestinian people alongside Israel, in accordance with international legitimacy and relevant resolutions.”
She stated, “This is the only solution to cease the continuous acts of violence and ensure the safety and stability of both Palestinians and Israelis, while addressing the humanitarian conditions in Gaza sustainably, which necessitates active collaboration among the international community to eradicate extremism, tension and violence.”
She emphasised the UAE’s humanitarian and relief efforts, through the provision of various forms of humanitarian assistance to the brotherly Palestinians. These efforts include the UAE’s launch of the ‘Gallant Knight 3’ humanitarian operation, and the establishment of an air bridge to deliver relief and medical aid. Moreover, the UAE has dispatched 200 flights, 490 trucks, and two ships to deliver a total of 20,000 tonnes of urgent relief aid, including food, water, and medical supplies.
Al Kaabi added, “His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, issued a directive to host 1,000 injured children and 1,000 cancer patients from different age groups from the Gaza Strip, to provide them with all the necessary medical and health care in the country’s hospitals.”
She stated, “The UAE has inaugurated a comprehensive field hospital in southern Gaza, supervised by an Emirati team, as part of its efforts to mitigate the suffering of the Palestinians and support the health sector in the Strip. Furthermore, the UAE dispatched a hospital ship to support medical efforts, as part of its efforts to alleviate the humanitarian repercussions faced by Palestinians. The country has also built six desalination plants to supply drinkable water for civilians in the Gaza Strip, operating at a general capacity of 1.2 million gallons daily.”