Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday will attend a meeting of the Gaza Contact Group, formed by members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League in Madrid.
According to the diplomatic sources, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, and representatives from Nigeria and Ireland will also attend the meeting.
The meeting will focus on ending the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the West Bank with an immediate and lasting cease-fire, continuing efforts to recognize Palestine as a state and reviving the two-state solution process.
As part of the meeting, foreign ministers of the Gaza Contact Group and other representatives are expected to be received by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
- Fidan to raise many issues
Türkiye primarily aims to ensure a cease-fire in Gaza and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, while at the same time taking the necessary steps towards a two-state solution.
In line with these objectives, Fidan has been conducting intensive diplomacy for a long time.
He is expected to discuss with his counterparts the steps that can be taken to achieve these goals.
Fidan is also expected to raise issues such as the international community piling pressure on Israel, the involvement of more countries in the case before the International Court of Justice, Palestine's membership in the UN, and its recognition by more countries.
Supporting the reconciliation process among Palestinians, humanitarian aid and the continuation of aid to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees are also among the issues Fidan is expected to raise.
- OIC-Arab League Contact Group
The contact group was established at a joint summit of the OIC and the Arab League in Saudi Arabia in November to stop the conflict in Gaza and help achieve lasting peace.
The contact group continues its efforts to stop the war in Gaza and reach a two-state solution.
This year, Norway, Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia recognized the state of Palestine.
On the occasion of Spain's recognition of Palestine as a state on May 29, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez invited the foreign ministers of the contact group countries to Madrid for talks on ending the violence in Gaza and implementing a two-state solution.
Nearly 41,100 people, mostly women and children, have been killed and more than 95,000 injured in relentless Israeli attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
For 11 months, Israel has been carrying out a genocide in Gaza right before the world’s eyes, resulting in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians. Rather than taking action to stop the carnage, the global system seems to almost encourage it, while Muslims watch “helplessly.” Yeni Şafak had previously outlined clear steps that would end the genocide in Gaza as follows:
40,000 Palestinians Massacred in 11 Months
Backed by unlimited support from the United States, Israel has massacred over 40,000 Palestinian civilians in just 11 months. It is high time for Islamic countries to take action. Implementing sanctions that prevent the passage of commercial and civilian aircraft, ships, and road vehicles could paralyze Israel, forcing it to retreat. Islamic countries could block ships leaving Israeli ports or heading toward them. These countries could also ban ships that have docked at Israeli ports from entering their own harbors.
Maritime Trade: Israel’s Lifeline
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) comprises 57 member states. A united decision by these countries, whose main objective is to support the Palestinian cause, could cripple Israel’s transportation networks and leave it gasping for breath. This would require halting all ships departing from or heading to Israeli ports. The governments of Muslim countries could take a decisive step by preventing cargo ships from leaving Israeli ports and denying those ships access to their own ports. This would be a critical move to stop the genocide.
Yemen's Impact as a Case Study
Even the disruptions caused by the Houthis in Yemen to ships carrying goods to Israel have had significant effects on Israel. Therefore, a more extensive blockade would likely yield successful results. The Houthi intervention in the Red Sea, which reduced trade through the Suez Canal by 85%, offers insights into the potential outcomes of such a blockade. Due to security concerns, maritime trade between Europe and Asia is being rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope. According to MarineTraffic, a global ship tracking and maritime analytics provider, ship traffic in the Suez Canal, which accounts for 15% of global maritime trade, dropped by 85% in the first six months of this year. Meanwhile, commercial ship crossings around the Cape of Good Hope increased by 125%.
The Strategic Importance of Egypt and Saudi Arabia
The Red Sea route is vital for many countries in the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa for exports and imports, particularly for oil exports from the Middle East to Europe and from Russia to Asia. Yemen, alongside Saudi Arabia on the eastern coast of the Red Sea, and Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti on the western coast, are crucial in this context. Egypt and Saudi Arabia, due to their strategic locations, could exert immense pressure on Israel to halt the massacres in Palestine by taking a strong stance against the genocidal Zionazi regime.
