D-8 developing countries call on all states to weigh in on Israel
The economic cooperation organization of eight developing countries (D-8), mostly Muslim, called on Saturday all states to exert pressure on Israel to force it to respect international law and demanded that Palestine become a member state of the United Nations.
Meeting in Istanbul, the D-8 foreign ministers – Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey – demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and called for “all states” to exercise for this purpose “all diplomatic, political, economic and legal pressures” on Israel.
They specifically called on the United States to lift its veto on “the full entry of Palestine as an independent and sovereign state into the United Nations”in a press release published at the end of their meeting, organized at the initiative of the head of Turkish diplomacy, Hakan Fidan.
The D-8 states call on all states to ensure that Israel “bends strictly” to the decisions of the International Court of Justice and “put an immediate end to its military offensive, withdraw from Rafah and [garantisse] safe passage » humanitarian aid.
They call them to “join current legal proceedings” before the international bodies of justice against Israel for its “serious violations of international humanitarian law” to the detriment of the Palestinians.
The eight countries are still demanding an end to deliveries of arms and ammunition to Israel, used “by his army and settlers to kill Palestinians and destroy their homes, schools, hospitals, mosques, churches and all their property”.
They demand that everything be done “to protect Palestinian civilians” in implementing the resolutions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly and “reject” all “attempted forced displacement” against them.
They call on the international community to act immediately in favor of a two-state solution within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and a guarantee mechanism for its sustainable implementation.
