BRICS Summit: Emphasis on ceasefire and opening of humanitarian corridors
Today (Tuesday) the BRICS group forcefully entered the line of interaction with the worsening events in Gaza. During an emergency virtual summit dedicated to discussing the situation in the Middle East, agreement emerged among the group’s member countries on the need for a ceasefire as soon as possible and on the opening of humanitarian corridors. Leaders of the group’s countries affirmed BRICS’ readiness to play a central role in efforts to calm the situation and initiate a political process, while calls were made to hold Israel accountable for the “genocide” and to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid .
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, stressed in the Kingdom’s speech ahead of the BRICS virtual summit that the brutal crimes witnessed in Gaza against innocent civilians, healthcare facilities and places of worship require effort collective to stop this. humanitarian catastrophe that continues to worsen day by day and decisive solutions need to be put in place. He added: “This summit is being held at a difficult time for the people of Gaza.”
While leading the Saudi delegation to the meeting of BRICS leaders, on behalf of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prince Mohammed bin Salman renewed calls to immediately halt military operations, provide humanitarian corridors to provide relief to civilians and allow humanitarian organizations international organizations to play their role. The Saudi Crown Prince stressed that his country’s position is firm and firm: “there is no way to achieve security and stability in Palestine except through the implementation of international resolutions relating to the two-state solution to enable the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.” Referring at the same time to the provision of humanitarian aid and relief, by air and sea, to the people of Gaza, and the launch of a popular donation campaign that has so far exceeded half a billion Saudi riyals.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman also indicated that his country has requested to hold an extraordinary Arab and Islamic summit in Riyadh on November 11 to discuss Israeli aggression, noting the collective decision issued by the summit which included condemnation of the aggression against the Gaza Strip and the refusal to justify the aggression, to impose on any pretext and immediately the entry of convoys of humanitarian aid, including food, medicine and fuel, into the Gaza Strip, to reject the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, to condemn the destruction of hospitals in Gaza by Israel The Strip demands that all countries stop exporting weapons and ammunition to Israel and begin acting on behalf of all member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States to formulate an international position towards the aggression against Gaza and to push for the initiation of a serious political process to achieve lasting and comprehensive peace in accordance with approved international references.
Saudi Arabia participated in the extraordinary virtual meeting on Gaza for the leaders of the BRICS group and the leaders of the countries invited to join this group. Be one of the countries invited to join the group, and also be a friend of the presidency (South Africa) and be the current president of the Arab and Islamic summits.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin underlined in his speech the need to reach an agreement as soon as possible on the humanitarian truce, the release of the hostages and the delivery of aid to Gaza, but underlined that “the best path is to reach a truce long-term”.
Putin stated, during the extraordinary summit convened by South Africa, as the current president of the group, and by Iran, which obtained full membership a few months ago: that Russia and the BRICS countries can play an important role in the resolution the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
He stressed that “Russia’s position is firm and non-opportunistic.” We call for joint efforts from the international community aimed at calming the situation, a ceasefire and finding a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Our group can play an important role in this work.”
Putin believed that the current situation was the result of the United States’ desire to monopolize conflict resolution tasks. He added: “Therefore it has become clear that individual attempts to solve the Palestinian problem are futile.” He said: “The killing of thousands of people, the mass expulsion of civilians and the outbreak of a humanitarian catastrophe are of deep concern. A colleague just spoke about the deaths of a large number of children. “This is a terrible thing, but when you look at how children operate without anesthesia, this obviously elicits special feelings.”
Putin added: “More than one generation of Palestinians has grown up in an atmosphere of injustice and the Israelis cannot guarantee the security of their state.” He believed that this “was the result of sabotage of the United Nations resolutions providing for the creation of two independent states and peaceful coexistence between them: Israel and Palestine.” He underlined the importance of the humanitarian truce needed to free the hostages and evacuate civilians and foreigners from Gaza. At the same time, he stated: The most urgent task is to achieve a long-lasting and sustainable truce, warning against dragging other countries into the war in the Middle East and expanding the geography of the conflict.
Putin also said: During its presidency of the BRICS group next year, Russia intends to initiate contacts regarding the Israeli-Palestinian solution.
He added: “We believe that it is very useful to continue the discussion within the BRICS group on the continuation of the development of the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation. “If there are no objections, dear colleagues, during the next Russian presidency of the Assembly, next year, we will initiate possible contacts, including via video, on this issue.”
The BRICS group includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. At the Johannesburg summit last August, the decision was announced to invite Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to become full members of the association from the beginning of next year.
In turn, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, whose country called for the emergency summit, called on the heads of the organization’s member states, through the relevant mechanisms of the United Nations, to issue a resolution to “stop Israel’s crimes against the people of Gaza. “
Raisi said in his speech: “Given the failure of the United Nations Security Council to carry out its mission to ensure peace and security and to adopt a resolution on the ceasefire in Palestine; Member states of the BRICS group must issue a binding resolution to the United Nations General Assembly within the framework of the United Nations. He added: “The international peace mechanism must be used against Israel to stop its crimes against the people of Gaza.”
Raisi called on the heads of the organization’s member states to “declare the government of Israel a terrorist organization and its army a terrorist organization.” He believed that “Israel’s continued attacks on hospitals, medical centers and religious sites, as well as the killing of women, children, doctors, nurses and journalists, are acts of terrorism and the Israeli regime must be recognized as a terrorist organization ”. and its army as a terrorist organization.”
For his part, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, as chairman of the summit, called on the countries of the world to refrain from initiatives that could aggravate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including in the context of “interrupting the supply of weapons to the parties to the conflict ”.
Ramaphosa said: “All countries must show restraint and refrain from fueling this conflict, including by cutting arms supplies to the parties.”
Ramaphosa stressed the importance of reaching an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire for a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He added: “So; We call on the international community to agree on urgent and concrete measures to end the suffering in the Gaza Strip and pave the way for a just and peaceful solution to this conflict. On behalf of South Africa, we call for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and the initiation of measures to improve the humanitarian situation.”
The South African president said: Israel and Hamas violated international law during the conflict. He explained that “Israel’s actions constitute a clear violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter and the Geneva Convention.”
At the same time, he stressed that the Hamas movement also violated international laws by holding hostages and “must be punished.”
Ramaphosa described Israel’s “unlawful use of excessive force” to collectively punish Palestinians as a “war crime.” He renewed his call for the International Criminal Court to prosecute those responsible for war crimes in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In turn, he stressed that “the BRICS group can play a decisive role in international efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” expressing his appreciation for the importance of international solidarity in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping said: BRICS is “an important platform for strengthening unity and cooperation and protecting the common interests of developing countries.”
According to him, the coordination of positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the measures taken during the extraordinary BRICS summit were “a good start for the association’s cooperation after its expansion.”
He stressed that China “considers the ceasefire and release of captured civilians a priority in the current phase of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
He added: “In the current situation, it is imperative that the BRICS countries act as a voice for justice and peace in the Israeli-Palestinian issue.”
He stressed that the current conflict in the Gaza Strip has caused a large number of civilian casualties and turned into a humanitarian disaster, and said: “China is deeply concerned about this issue.”
During his speech, Xi announced that China “will call for an official international conference to promote a quick and just solution to Gaza to be held in the near future,” stressing that it is necessary to “convene a more reliable international peace conference as soon as possible.” ”. possible to reach an international consensus on peacebuilding and promoting a timely solution.” A global, just and lasting solution for the Palestinian cause.”
Meanwhile, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, said the summit approved the final document prepared by the permanent representatives of member states.
Ryabkov stressed that Russia is banking on the fact that the results of the summit and the recommendations contained in the document will be announced by the South African presidency.