Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, announced at the conclusion of the regular session of the Arab League Council held at the level of foreign ministers that “an agreement was reached for Arab action in the upcoming phase to stop the Israeli extermination war against the Palestinian people and to preserve the Palestinian state project,” according to Wafa.

He pointed out in a joint press conference with UAE Minister of State Khalifa Al Marar at the end of the session that “Egypt and Saudi Arabia presented a draft resolution that transformed Arab cooperation in the Middle East and includes a set of principles and foundations.”

Aboul Gheit explained that “this resolution adopted today summarizes the Arab position on the Palestinian cause, affirming the principle of sovereignty of Arab states and rejecting any Israeli hints to infringe on the sovereignty of Arab countries, as well as affirming adherence to resolving the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution, considered the only way to end regional tensions and move towards a new horizon of stability and prosperity.”

He also confirmed that “the Saudi-Egyptian draft resolution received much discussion and should be carefully read as it contains many paragraphs with meaningful orientations condemning any proposal that threatens the sovereignty of Arab states and their territorial integrity, with an emphasis on the necessity to end the Israeli occupation of Arab lands.”

He said: “The council discussed the developments of the Palestinian cause in all its aspects,” noting that “there was an agreement among Arab ministers that the Israeli plan has gone beyond the extermination war to an attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause, displace the Palestinian people, and take steps towards annexing the West Bank.”

He pointed out that “the ministers confirmed not to rely on any arrangements for regional cooperation, integration, and coexistence among the countries of the region as long as the Israeli occupation of Arab lands continues or the implicit threat of occupying or annexing other Arab lands exists.”

He said: “The ministers stressed the necessity of addressing the roots of the conflict in the region, especially through a just and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian cause.”

In response to a question about Arab moves to support the Palestinian position at the United Nations despite the US administration’s announcement not to grant visas to the Palestinian delegation despite international assurances recognizing the Palestinian state, Aboul Gheit said: “The decision issued by the Arab foreign ministers calls on the United States to reconsider this decision in line with its international commitments.”

He added: “There is an Arab confirmation to seek in the coming period to conduct individual and collective contacts to try to influence the American decision and convince the United States to change its position on the Palestinian delegation.”

For his part, the UAE minister confirmed that “the 164th session of the Arab League Council has been concluded, where consensus was reached after extensive discussions among ministers and heads of delegations on the agenda items.”

He reiterated his country’s declared position that “annexation of the West Bank or occupied Palestinian lands is a red line and that taking such a step will undermine regional security.”