Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, held a meeting on 18 October with a delegation representing the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions. The primary focus of the meeting was on the alarming and perilous developments in the Gaza Strip.
Counsellor Gamal Roshdy, the spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that during the meeting, Mr. Aboul Gheit emphasised the need for action on multiple fronts, both regionally and internationally. The paramount objectives are to underscore the urgency of an immediate and enduring ceasefire and to counter any proposals aimed at relocating the Palestinian people. He stressed the significance of opening safe routes and crossings for the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip.
The spokesman added that Mr. Aboul Gheit vehemently condemned all acts of violence and targeting of civilians, stressing the need to work on reinforcing the adherence to the right to life and to uphold the principles of human rights developed over more than a century. This should be done in a manner that does not discriminate between individuals, treating all as equal citizens, without distinctions of first or second class.
The Secretary-General also commended the Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions for its proposal regarding the support of the Palestinian movement within the International Criminal Court. Furthermore, he underscored the need, through the United Nations and the Human Rights Council, to halt the Israeli settlement project. This is particularly critical, as the displacement of communities is not a regular occurrence; it's sowing the seeds of a new conflict that could persist for another century and potentially give rise to religious conflicts.
