Doha: Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Al-Budaiwi affirmed on Thursday that the GCC has operated on the principle that the security of its member states is indivisible. "Therefore, Qatar's security is an integral part of our shared Gulf security and any attack against it or any other Gulf state is an attack against our collective security," Al-Budaiwi said in the extraordinary session of the GCC Joint Defense Council held in the Qatari capital.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the session was chaired by Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense, Shaikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. It was attended by defense ministers of the GCC member states and their representatives. The meeting was called to implement the directives of GCC leaders to hold an urgent session of the GCC Joint Defense Council in Doha, following a meeting of the Supreme Military Committee to evaluate the defense situation of the GCC states in light of recent events.
The GCC chief emphasized the importance of the meeting in response to the Israeli aggression against Qatar. He mentioned that the GCC leaders have directed the GCC Unified Military Command to take necessary measures to activate joint defense mechanisms and enhance the Gulf's deterrent capabilities.
The Secretary General described the Israeli airstrike on Doha as a breach of Qatar's sovereignty by Israeli forces, resulting in the deaths of innocent victims. He stated that the act is a grave violation of international law and the United Nations Charter and highlighted the global condemnation and solidarity with Qatar.
Al-Budaiwi underscored the successful integration and cooperation between GCC armed forces, which has served as a model regionally and internationally. He reiterated the Joint Defense Agreement's stance that an attack on any GCC state is an attack on all, and expressed the hope that the meeting would result in recommendations to strengthen defense integration among GCC armed forces.