Jeddah: The Extraordinary Open-Ended Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the Level of Permanent Representatives convened in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the ongoing Israeli aggression in the Palestinian territories, with particular focus on the attacks on holy sites, including the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil.
According to Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the meeting reaffirmed previous resolutions regarding Palestine and emphasized the urgent need for Israel to cease all hostilities, facilitate the return of displaced persons, and withdraw its occupation forces. The communiqué called for the opening of all crossings with the Gaza Strip to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and emphasized international obligations to halt serious crimes and comply with international law.
The OIC strongly condemned Israel's blockade policies and criticized new mechanisms that undermine United Nations aid distribution efforts. The organization also rejected any displacement plans for the Palestinian people and warned states against cooperating with such initiatives. The meeting highlighted the dangers of ongoing military aggression in the West Bank, including arrests, home demolitions, and changes in demographic composition.
A specific condemnation was issued against Israeli plans to transfer management of the Ibrahimi Mosque to an illegal settlement council, a move seen as an attempt to alter the mosque's historical and cultural status. The OIC also condemned the bombing of the Holy Family Church in Gaza City and attacks on Christian sites, calling these actions violations of international conventions safeguarding places of worship.
The communiqué denounced Israeli policies aimed at altering the geographic and demographic character of Al-Quds and reaffirmed the exclusive rights of the State of Palestine over religious and historical sites. It tasked the Islamic Group with working with UNESCO and other organizations to protect Palestinian cultural heritage and called for increased international efforts to monitor and document Israeli human rights violations.
The OIC urged the international community to impose sanctions on Israel to halt illegal practices and tasked its General Secretariat with coordinating cultural and media events to raise awareness of Israeli violations. It also requested UNESCO to send monitoring missions to assess the impact of Israeli actions on Palestinian heritage sites.
The communiqué further called for increased financial and humanitarian support for the State of Palestine and urged a boycott of Israeli cultural activities. The Secretary-General was requested to follow up on the implementation of these resolutions and report back to the Council of Foreign Ministers.
