Обломки зданий, пострадавших в результате ракетных ударов ВС Израиля по Газе - Sputnik India, 1920
Israel-Hamas war

ASEAN, GCC Blame Israel’s ‘Illegal Occupation’ for Gaza War at Maiden Summit

© AP Photo / Francisco SecoSmoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023.  - Sputnik India, 1920, 20.10.2023
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In a show of moral and diplomatic support to Palestine, the 10 southeast Asian states have criticized Israel’s policies in provoking the conflict in the Middle-East.
The 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have blamed Israel’s “illegal occupation” of Palestinian territories as the “root cause” of the current hostilities between Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas.
Leaders from 16 countries in the two regional groupings met for their first-ever bilateral summit in Riyadh on Friday, according to a joint statement by the GCC.
The meeting was co-chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Price and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the statement said.
Briefing journalists at the Summit, Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi said that the 16 governments were gravely concerned over the developments in Palestine.

“My president Joko Widodo in his statement urged for cessation of violence, focus on humanitarian issues and not to forget to address the root cause, that is the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands in Gaza,” the top Indonesian diplomat said.

She noted that the position was well-reflected in the GCC-ASEAN joint statement on developments in Gaza.

Marsudi also underlined that both the regional groupings stood in solid support with Palestine.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called for an end to the “disproportionate treatment and flagrant hypocrisy against the Palestinians”.

"They must be allowed to live in peace and dignity in their own sovereign state in internationally recognised borders, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital," Ibrahim said in his address to the summit.

The IDF strikes in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of 4,137 Palestinians, in the wake of a deadly attack against Israel by Hamas on 7 October. Over 1,400 Israelis were killed in the attack, the deadliest in the country’s history.
Meanwhile, Israel has also enforced a blockade of Gaza and cut off electricity and water supply to the 2.2 million-strong Palestinian territory, precipitating a humanitarian crisis.

ASEAN-GCC Joint Statement

The ASEAN-GCC Joint Statement has called for strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations to “promote peace, security, stability and prosperity”.
The two groupings stressed the need to respect international law, UN Charter, which include the “principles of good neighborliness, respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, non-interference in their internal affairs, and refraining from the use of force, or the threat of use of force, and settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful means,” according to the statement.

The joint statement also backed enhancing ties to “navigate global challenges” and “ensure sustainable supply chains”, including those relating to food, energy and water security.

Palestinians search for survivors from a building destroyed in Israeli bombardment in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023 - Sputnik India, 1920, 20.10.2023
Israel-Hamas war
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