MBS asks Israel to respect Iran’s sovereignty

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman has called on Israel to respect Iran’s sovereignty and refrain from attacking Iranian soil.

In an address before the joint Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) extraordinary summit on Monday, the crown prince, also known as MBS, condemned the “massacre committed against Palestinian and Lebanese people”, foreign media outlets reported.

Arab and Muslim leaders gathered in Riyadh, more than a year into the Israel-Hamas war and regional escalation, in what is seen as a chance to send a message to US president-elect Donald Trump.

Mohammed bin Salman told the summit that the international community should oblige Israel “to respect the sovereignty of the sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran and not to violate its lands”. Opening the summit, Mohammed bin Salman said the international community must “immediately halt the Israeli actions against our brothers in Palestine and Lebanon”, condemning Israel’s campaign in Gaza as “genocide”.

“(Saudi Arabia) affirms its support for the brothers in Palestine and Lebanon to overcome the disastrous humanitarian consequences of the ongoing Israeli aggression,” he said.

Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit also joined MBS in condemning Israel’s military operation in Gaza and Lebanon, saying that “words cannot express the plight of the Palestinian people”.

“The actions taken by Israel against the Palestinian people are undermining efforts to achieve lasting peace. It is only with justice that we will be able to establish lasting peace,” Aboul Gheit said.

In his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while regretting the ‘deafening silence’ of the international community over the systematic genocide of the people of Palestine, called for swift action to safeguard the inalienable rights of the oppressed Palestinians, by ensuring the establishment of an independent state.

The prime minister said that as Ummah, they were duty bound by their religion and conscience to stand resolutely with the people of Palestine more than even before. “We should not let this genocide and oppression to persist.”

He stressed that this conference must call for immediate and unconditional ceasefire, impose an immediate arms embargo on Israel and lifting of Israel’s blockade against Gaza, ensuring prompt delivery of food water, electricity and medical aid.

Shehbaz also called for holding of accountability of Israel for its war crimes, besides, urging the summit to pursue the adoption of UNGA special session’s resolution 10/24 that followed up a historic advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

He also demanded a comprehensive review of Israel’s membership of the United Nations. He said for more than a year, Gaza had fallen into endless darkness and despair with families torn apart, buildings, schools and hospitals blown up.

He alarmed at the silence of international community which shut its eyes in the face of such crimes committed against Palestinians, adding the atrocities being committed against Palestinians had been rightfully labeled as genocide not only by the media, but also by the ICJ.

“With each passing day, every moral code has been flagrantly been violated by Israel yet the killing and destruction continued with no end in sight,” he observed. The prime minister questioned as to how long this annihilation be ignored. Israel has been emboldened with the international community’s indifference and inaction. “There has been utter disregard for the humanity’s repeated calls for a ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian relief and protection of civilians.”

While houses with the occupants were being blown up, he said, the most sophisticated weapons were being supplied to Israel. Indeed, it was assured of unconditional assistance and support.

The prime minister said the international laws which were meant to protect the vulnerable had been torn to shreds. “Humanity is being tested and failing while Gaza bleeds, the world watches in deafening silence,” he added.

He further said that after decades of sufferings and oppression, the spirit of resistance of the Palestinians remained unbridled and flames of defiance burnt brighter even under the relentless siege.

“Pakistan stands firm in its commitment to Palestine right to self-determination. We reiterate our unwavering support to establish an independent, viable and contiguous state of Palestine with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its Capital based upon its pre-1967 borders,” he reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance.

The prime minister said that it was the only avenue for justice and durable peace in the holy land. He said Pakistan strongly condemned Israel’s recent strikes against Iran as an outright violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding “We equally denounce Israel’s ongoing aggression against Lebanon and stand in complete solidarity with its people.”

He cautioned that such escalation by Israel constituted a dangerous threat that could unleash a broader war. The prime minister expressed the hope that this summit would be a moment to transform their words into action. “Together they should move beyond condemnation and act swiftly to uphold justice and dignity for the people of Palestine and all those who faced oppression.”

He also expressed his profound gratitude to the sagacious Saudi leadership for convening the summit. Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdo an, in his address, warned that Israel aims to destroy Palestinian existence and ultimately annex all Palestinian territories with its brutal attacks, which have killed at least 44,000 Palestinians since last year.

“Israel’s relentless offensive on the Gaza Strip and increasing crackdown on Palestinians in occupied West Bank are proof this is where the situation is headed, Erdo an told the extraordinary summit.

Erdo an, who defends a two-state solution with 1967 borders for the Israel-Palestine conflict, said the Israeli parliament banning the UN aid agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, is meant to “eliminate a two-state solution and prevent the return of Palestinian refugees to their homeland.”

“We see the futility of a two-state solution by seeking the Israeli government’s consent,” he said. The Turkish president lashed out at a “handful of Western nations supplying Israel with every form of support, from political to economic, military to moral support, while the failure of Muslim countries to respond adequately has allowed the situation to reach this point.”

“We must maintain our coordinated efforts to pressuring measures against those committing genocide in Palestine,” Erdo an said, stressing that differences of opinion between Muslim nations “cannot be a drawback.” “Muslim states must spearhead steps that can be taken to stop Israel,” he continued, repeating his call for an arms embargo and trade halt on Israel.

“It’s vital that Israel is isolated in the international arena until its aggression ends,” Erdo an said. Ankara cut off trade with Israel in April and joined a genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, launched by South Africa, over its war crimes in Gaza.

Erdo an urged fellow Muslim states to follow suit and said Türkiye is “ready to implement all tangible actions that will show the heavy cost of Netanyahu government’s continued occupation of Palestinian territory.”

He called on more countries to recognise the state of Palestine and said he wishes to “see Palestine as a member of the UN Security Council one day.” Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati told the summit that his country was suffering an “unprecedented” crisis that threatens its existence, as Israel wages war on Hezbollah.

“Lebanon is going through an unprecedented historical and existential crisis that threatens its present and future,” he said. But Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref condemned Israel’s assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders as “organised terrorism” in remarks to the summit.

“The operations that are conceptualised with the deceptive phrasing of ‘targeted killing’, and during which Palestinian elites and leaders of other countries in the region are killed one by one or en masse, are nothing but lawlessness and organised terrorism,” he said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions on Israel and end the ongoing occupation. Speaking at the summit, Abbas emphasised the urgent need to halt Israeli aggression, ensure humanitarian aid reaches Gaza, and reject any plans to separate Gaza from the West Bank. He further called for Israel’s suspension from the UN if it fails to cease its attacks on the Palestinian people.

Abbas requested that the Security Council impose sanctions and halt Israeli settlement expansion within a year, reiterating his commitment to the international coalition formed in Riyadh to advance Palestinian statehood and secure full UN membership.

Additionally, Abbas mentioned that preparations are underway for the Palestinian government to oversee Gaza under the jurisdiction of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO).

The summit comes a year after a similar gathering in Riyadh of the Cairo-based Arab League and the Jeddah-based OIC, during which leaders condemned Israeli actions in Gaza as “barbaric”.

The 57-member OIC and 22-member Arab League include countries that recognise Israel and those firmly opposed to its regional integration. Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct 7, 2023.

The Israeli onslaught has killed 43,550 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 102,700 others, displacing almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

More than 780 Palestinians have been killed and over 6,300 injured by Israeli army fire in occupied Palestinian territories in the same period. Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt and Qatar to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas have failed over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to halt his war.

The OIC-Arab League summit is reviewing the implementation of resolutions adopted last year and is expected to yield new measures calling for an end to Israeli attacks on Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Lebanon.

Before leaving Riyadh, PM Shehbaz held a meeting with the Saudi Investment Minister Engr Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih and Adviser Royal Court Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri on the sidelines of the summit. The meeting was held to follow-up on the recent engagements for economic cooperation between the two countries, a press release issued by the PM Office Press Win said.

In the meeting, the prime minister appreciated the progress on major projects under discussion and acknowledged the efforts of the technical teams for their close cooperation to further strengthen economic partnership in diverse fields.

Later, PM Shehbaz reached Azerbaijan where he would participate in the “World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit” of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), being held in Baku.

In a post on X, the prime minister wrote: “Just landed in Baku, a city that beautifully bridges cultures and continents—symbolizing the unity we need to overcome out shared climate challenges at #COP29. Pakistan will present its climate priorities, calling for commitments that bring real, measurable impact.”

During his three-day visit to Azerbaijan, the prime minister would represent Pakistan in conference, which is being organised to underscore efforts at reducing the climate pollution and to highlight the problems of those countries suffering from the harmful effects of climate change.

He would highlight the dangers of the climate change affecting Pakistan. He will address the World Leaders Climate Action Summit on November 13 and attend several high-level events on the sidelines of the summit. Besides, he would hold bilateral meetings with world leaders.

Several high-level events and roundtable discussions hosted by Pakistan will also take place at the Pakistan Pavilion during COP29. Moreover, the prime minister would also participate in the high-level event “Glaciers 2025: Action for Glaciers” which is being hosted by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

Shehbaz would also attend the high-level event “Delivering Early Warning for All and Addressing Extreme Heat” hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the rising global temperature, as well as a dinner hosted by the President of Azerbaijan in the honour of world leaders.

The prime minister is accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, PM’s Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi and other senior officials.