The assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh could escalate tensions and lead to a wider conflict in the Middle East, warned the chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Wednesday.
Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara, speaking at an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers from OIC member states, stated that Haniyeh’s death serves to “escalate existing tensions potentially leading to a wider conflict that could involve the entire region.”
OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha denounced the killing of Haniyeh and accused Israel of committing severe atrocities in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. He urged the UN Security Council to take decisive action to ensure Israel adheres to international law and stops its aggressive actions that jeopardize regional and global peace and security.
Taha urged the council to demand an immediate and comprehensive cessation of Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip to avoid a full-scale regional war. He called for joint efforts to compel Israel to abide by international legitimacy resolutions and implement the recent advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice regarding the illegality of the Israeli occupation.
Taha also condemned the Israeli Knesset’s resolution rejecting Palestinian statehood and its designation of UNRWA as a terrorist organization. He called for increased political and financial support for UNRWA to continue providing essential services to Palestinian refugees and alleviate humanitarian suffering in the Gaza Strip.
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji, attending the meeting on behalf of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, expressed Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of Haniyeh’s assassination as a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its territorial integrity and national security, international law and the Charter of the United Nations.” He also condemned Israeli attacks against civilians and emphasized the need for international action to hold Israeli forces accountable for their crimes and violations.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar praised the OIC’s efforts for peace in the Middle East and expressed Pakistan’s full support for its initiatives. He acknowledged the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir and the Special Envoy for their support of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
The meeting also addressed Islamophobia, discrimination, and violence against Muslims. Dar lauded the appointment of the OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Islamophobia and expressed hope that the envoy would lead the campaign to address this critical issue.
