A delegation of foreign ministers from various Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation nations were in London today, the third visit of a tour that has taken them to China, Russia, and now to Great Britain. They subsequently went on to Paris to meet with President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and then will travel to Washington. Their intention is to meet with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to gain support for a ceasefire and humanitarian relief for Gaza.
According to AP, the delegation in London consisted of the foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Türkiye, Indonesia and Nigeria, as well as the Secretary General of the League of Arab States and ambassador of Qatar. According to the British daily The Guardian, in London they met with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and with Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. No official statement was released after the meeting, but the ministers gave a press briefing, in which they called for the imminent humanitarian four-day pause to be extended to a total and permanent cessation of hostilities. A similar statement was issued after their meeting with France’s Macron.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, said: “It is absolutely necessary. It is in our opinion that we transition from temporary to an extended ceasefire and go from there.” He emphasized that continuation of aid cannot be contingent on the release of more hostages. He said the UN had a choice in either containing Israel or being complicit in its war crimes. “Is the Security Council going to live up to its absolute minimum of responsibilities to ensure the innocent citizens of Gaza get the food, the water, the medicine and the supplies that they need or are they willing to be part of collective punishment?”
