Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) – The Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad, Mr. Ahmed Attaf, affirmed today in Jeddah that the disgraceful actions and practices of the Israeli occupation towards neighboring countries aim to plunge the region into an endless spiral of crises, conflicts, and wars.
In his speech at the emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the “Continuous Crimes of the Israeli Occupation against the Palestinian People and its Aggressions on the Sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Mr. Attaf stated that these actions represent a “policy of escalation adopted by the Israeli occupation to cover up the essence of the conflict in the region and to divert the international community’s attention from the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territories.” He also noted that this policy seeks to sell a false image of Israel as a besieged and victimized entity in a hostile environment.
He explained: “Our emergency meeting is convened to discuss the serious and accelerating developments in the Middle East, which the Israeli settler occupation is trying to impose on the countries and peoples of the region as a new reality characterized by permanent tension, continuous crisis, and ongoing conflict on multiple fronts.”
The minister highlighted that these “disgraceful actions and practices” aim to “plunge the region into an endless spiral of crises, conflicts, and wars,” proving beyond doubt that the Israeli settler occupation does not seek peace and does not believe in the concept or option of peace as a strategic choice. He added that Israel believes its security and stability lie in the insecurity and instability of its neighbors and considers itself an exception to all international rules and standards for civilized and peaceful coexistence.
Mr. Attaf recalled how the Israeli occupation responded to international justice for the Palestinian cause by intensifying its crimes, officially adopting a decision to reject the establishment of a Palestinian state, and expanding the scope of wars to multiple fronts in the region: in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and recently in Iran.
From this perspective, the minister added that “Algeria renews its strongest condemnation of the blatant terrorist aggression against the sisterly Iran, which resulted in the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas.”
Mr. Attaf emphasized that “the rights of peoples and their national causes cannot be eliminated by eliminating their bearers or supporters, nor are they buried with those who fell or were martyred for them. These are rights that do not disappear and causes that do not vanish as long as there is a people who believe in their legitimacy,” expressing sincere condolences and solidarity with the Palestinian people in their great loss and with “the sisterly Iran in the face of this blatant terrorist aggression.”
Regarding diplomatic efforts to de-escalate, the minister stressed three main points. The first is that “efforts to de-escalate must not focus on the side manifestations of the conflict and overlook its core and essence.” In other words, he explained, “de-escalation must begin with stopping the ongoing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza.”
The second point is that “efforts to de-escalate must primarily target the aggressor and the main cause of the serious developments in the region,” stressing the need to “curb the Israeli occupier’s arrogance and compel it to cease its countless violations in Palestine and the neighboring regions.”
The third and final point is that “efforts to de-escalate must go beyond the immediate situation and fall within a broader and longer-term framework,” explaining that “achieving sustainable peace and lasting security in the region depends on resolving the Palestinian issue according to the established international references and norms, by granting the Palestinian people their legitimate rights, foremost among them the right to establish an independent and sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
