Jeddah: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held an emergency meeting at its headquarters in Jeddah for the Executive Committee, at the level of permanent representatives. The meeting focused on the Israeli occupation's aggression against the Palestinian people and the targeting of holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
According to Kuwait News Agency, OIC Secretary General Hissein Taha stated that the meeting reaffirmed the importance of the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem, as well as the shared responsibility to confront the serious challenges currently facing Palestine. He expressed OIC's rejection and warned against Israeli occupation plans aimed at fully controlling the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, altering its historical identity, and Judaizing it. Taha condemned the attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the bombing of churches and mosques in Gaza, citing violations of international laws.
Taha also highlighted the occupation's use of blockades, starvation, and the prevention of humanitarian aid as a means to maintain military control over Gaza. He labeled these actions as war crimes and a violation of human rights, stressing the need for international efforts to pressure Israeli occupation into implementing a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire. He called for the opening of all crossings, the allowance of humanitarian aid, and ensuring Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza.
Taha referenced a message from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who described the dangerous situation in Palestine and called for political, financial, and humanitarian support from OIC member states. Abbas urged pressure on Israeli occupation to halt its policy of starvation, ensure the immediate entry of humanitarian aid, release withheld Palestinian tax funds, and activate the Islamic financial safety network.
Palestine's permanent representative to the OIC, Hadi Shibli, emphasized that the meeting was convened in response to the ongoing Israeli aggression against Palestinians and their holy sites, particularly the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. He condemned the war crimes committed by the occupation and warned of the dangerous situation in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. Shibli criticized Israeli occupation's efforts to change the identity of Ibrahimi Mosque, including recent plans to transfer its control to the "Jewish religious council." He called for international pressure on Israel to stop withholding Palestinian tax revenues and ensure financial contributions to support the Palestinian government. Shibli warned of the devastating consequences of the Israeli occupation's siege on Gaza, which is causing unprecedented human suffering and could lead to famine, calling for stronger legal efforts to hold the occupation accountable under international criminal law.