The UAE participated in a meeting to discuss the international Arab movement to stop the Israeli aggression, along with its non-compliance with Security Council resolutions and the orders of the International Court of Justice.
Held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League, Maryam Al Kaabi, Ambassador of the UAE to Egypt and its Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States, participated in the session which was held at the level of permanent delegates.
In her speech during the opening session, Al Kaabi affirmed that the meeting comes in light of the difficult circumstances that the occupied Gaza Strip is currently witnessing, which requires Arab states to combine efforts at all levels, intensify work, and enhance consultation and coordination to deal with the challenges. This is required to achieve peace and prevent the region from being dragged into new levels of violence, tension and instability.
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The session was headed by Hussein Sidi Abdullah, Ambassador of Mauritania to Egypt and its Permanent Representative to the Arab League, in the presence of the Assistant Secretary-General, Ambassador Hossam Zaki, and delegates and representatives of other Arab countries, in order to discuss a halt to the Israeli aggression on Gaza and non-compliance with international laws.
Al Kaabi also said: “In the face of the Israeli war and attacks on Gaza Strip, resulting in a catastrophic humanitarian situation that is extremely sensitive and dangerous, threatening lives of the entire population of the Strip, the UAE stresses the necessity of intensifying collective action and joint efforts to put an end to the ongoing machine of destruction and achieve a cessation of immediate firing.”
She also added how Israel needs to adhere to relevant legal decisions, in order to preserve lives of civilians and provide them with necessary humanitarian assistance in an urgent, safe, sustainable and unhindered manner, through all possible methods.
She stressed the need to work towards avoiding an expansion to the conflict by achieving a just, permanent and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state living in security and stability.
Plans of attack on Rafah
Regarding the plans of the Israeli army to launch a military operation in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip, she expressed UAE’s deep concern of the attacks in area crowded with displaced Palestinians. She warned of the serious repercussions that military operations may cause, which threatens to cause more innocent civilian casualties.
She also reiterated UAE’s rejection and strong opposition to any forced deportation of Palestinian people, and any practices that violate the resolutions of international legitimacy and humanitarian law.
Attack on relief team
Maryam emphasised on UAE’s strong condemnation for the Israeli attacks on the World Central Kitchen Foundation team, and said how the country “holds Israel fully responsible for this dangerous development, and demands an urgent, independent and transparent investigation into what happened”.
Furthermore, the Emirates has called for punishment those responsible for this heinous crime, which is considered a blatant violation of all international treaties that guarantee the protection of relief and rescue workers.
“My country stressed the need to immediately stop violence, avoid targeting civilians, institutions, civilian objects and relief institutions, and demanded that food not be used as a weapon and that we stop imposing restrictions on humanitarian aid and provide protection without delay,” she added.
UAE’s humanitarian efforts
On a diplomatic level, the UAE has intensified its actions since the outbreak of the war, seeking to stop the escalation, achieve a ceasefire, and restore calm to stop the bloodshed. It has also given priority to addressing the situation, protecting civilians and civilian facilities, and securing safe and stable humanitarian corridors to provide relief and medical aid.
Since October of last year, the UAE has provided 26,000 tons of urgent supplies, including food, water, and medical materials, by sending 234 aircraft, and implementing 22 airdrops, sending 1,055 trucks and three aid ships carrying 13,190 tons of relief supplies.
It also launched a number of sustainable relief projects and provided medical care to the people of the Gaza Strip through the construction of a field hospital in the south, and a floating hospital off the coast of the Egyptian city of Al-Arish.
In order to the deliver humanitarian aid to northern Gaza, the UAE has made unremitting efforts to mobilize support for the “Amalthea” sea corridor initiative between the Republic of Cyprus and Gaza. Along with the World Central Kitchen Foundation, the country has delivered 300 tons of food aid to Gaza by sea and delivered it to northern Gaza.
“The UAE has sent automatic bakeries to meet the daily needs of more than 72,000 people. The UAE also provides flour to eight existing bakeries in Gaza that provide the daily needs of 17,140 people,” said Maryam Al Kaabi.
Under the directives of the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, 2,000 cancer patients from Gaza have been treated. Additionally, 617 people from Gaza have arrived in the UAE to receive medical care, in addition to 635 companions, as part of the ongoing efforts undertaken by the UAE at various levels to provide relief.