Online Desk: Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said the situation in Gaza is not only a classic example of ethnic cleansing but also genocide by a state power assisted by leaders of “the free world and proponents of human rights, humanitarian laws and all moral and ethical values.”

“Israel-Gaza war is not a war at all. It is, in fact, barbaric and collective punishment and killing of a captive group of innocent men and women and especially children who cannot be combatants,” he said while speaking at the 8th Extraordinary Islamic Summit in Riyadh on Saturday.

The Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit was held in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.

Momen said it is destroying cities and towns, hopes and aspirations of a nation, and calculated deprivation of an occupied people of their rights – to food, shelter, water, essential medicines, fuel and electricity, and of course, a decent life.

“Bangladesh supports and stands strong by our Palestinian brothers and sisters’ right to self-determination, sovereignty and independence,” said the foreign minister.

As per the famous Zionist writer Ari Shavit of the Israeli daily Haaretz, who drew the attention of Israeli leadership, “We may not have passed the point of no return yet. It may still be possible to end the occupation, stop settlement, reform Zionism, save democracy, and divide the country. Otherwise, you leave the country and every Israeli must have a foreign passport and you must say goodbye to friends and move to San Fransico, Berlin or Paris.”

“At a time when the Israeli indiscriminate killing of Palestinians is continuing without paying any heed to the global communities’ call for an immediate ceasefire, I believe this joint summit will convey a concise, practical and impactful strong message for stopping the ruthless war of Israel against the defenceless Palestinians,” Momen hoped.

People of all classes, colors, races, ethnic backgrounds and faiths – Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews and others – around the world are protesting the massacre, yet a group of Zionists is committing calculated murders and horrific butchery, he said.

Gaza has been made the most densely-populated open-air prison in the world for the last 16 years.

“It is an irony that the once persecuted Jewish people who were given shelter by Palestinians are now destroying the homes, hospitals, families and hopes of unarmed Palestinians,” said the foreign minister.

Suggestions from the Bangladesh Foreign Minister

First, call for an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war against Palestine. This war is unjust, and a violation of all human rights and all international humanitarian laws. Israel must stop killing of women and children and end occupation.

Second, a humanitarian corridor needs to be kept open for a continuous, rapid and safe supply of food, water, medicine and other lifesaving materials to the residents of Gaza. The seizure of Gaza is depriving the innocent people of basic necessities, and we as the international community should bear a responsibility.

Third, hold the Israeli leadership accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The killing of innocent civilians, and clearing of areas through barbaric means, have created an environment of terror. Such acts need to be punished so that once and for all the ongoing conflict in Gaza ends and all captives must be released so that people can start living peacefully in their own land.

Fourth, we should revisit the implementation process of all our agreed decisions at the UN, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet Road Map. We want peace. In order to have lasting peace and stability, we should plan a clear timeline to have a two-state solution with the pre-1967 border living side by side under the UN resolution 242 and 338.

Fifth, the unity of the Muslim Ummah is imperative. Palestinians are our brothers and sisters who have been denied of their right to self-determination and their right to live in their own homeland. Over the last 75 years, we have been condemning the actions and occupation of Israel, and now it is time to boycott Israel and its products by all nations and faiths, particularly Muslim Ummah and people of honor and human dignity. This butchery must stop and stop forever.

The Summit was opened by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, with the participation of leaders and heads of governments and heads of delegations of the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States.

In his speech at the Summit, the OIC Secretary-General, Hissein Brahim Taha, expressed his sincere thanks and gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud; and Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, for the invitation to convene this Extraordinary Summit, for the generous hospitality, and for all the arrangements made to ensure the success of the Summit.

The OIC secretary-general affirmed that this Arab-Islamic Summit comes to confirm their solidarity with, and unwavering support for the Palestinian people, and their joint commitment to the responsibilities for supporting the cause of Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

He called for an immediate, durable, and comprehensive cessation of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, for opening humanitarian corridors to deliver aid and essential needs to the Gaza Strip in an adequate and sustainable manner, and for providing international protection for the Palestinian people.

The OIC secretary-general underlined his absolute rejection of plans for the forced displacement of Palestinians, indicating that a just, lasting, and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause requires the establishment of the independent State of Palestine on the borders of June 4, 1967, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, based on international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.