A delegation of Arab and Muslim ministers convened in Beijing on Monday, urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This visit marks the initial phase of their tour aimed at ending hostilities and facilitating humanitarian aid access to the severely affected Palestinian enclave.
The delegation, set to engage with officials from each of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, seeks to exert pressure on the West to reject Israel’s justification for actions against Palestinians as self-defense.
Officials from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia, Palestinian-occupied territories, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are meeting with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, on Monday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the need for the international community to “act urgently and take practical and effective measures to prevent this tragedy from spreading.” He highlighted ongoing efforts to de-escalate the conflict, protect civilians, expand humanitarian assistance, and prevent a humanitarian disaster. Wang called for a return to the two-state solution and the early realization of a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement to the Palestine issue.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud, echoed the urgency, stating, “We must immediately stop the fighting and the killings, deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza, and prevent further bloodshed.”
In an extraordinary joint Islamic-Arab summit in Riyadh this month, participants urged the International Criminal Court to investigate “war crimes and crimes against humanity that Israel is committing” in the Palestinian territories.
