Israeli Occupation Root Cause of Middle East Instability, Four Muslim Nations Say in Istanbul Joint Statement
Four Muslim-majority countries — Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt — have blamed Israel's occupation as the root cause of the ongoing instability across the Middle East and beyond.
The foreign ministers of the four countries met on Friday in Istanbul, Turkey's largest city. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, they set out this position.
The statement said Israel's occupation is responsible for all the region's problems. Because the occupation continues, the crisis is not easing; instead, new tensions keep emerging.
The joint statement further said, “Israel's government policies are aggravating the injustices taking place around the world.” In other words, the four foreign ministers held Israel's policies responsible not only for the Middle East but also for injustice at the global level.
The four countries once again reaffirmed their support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The proposed state would be based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
A two-state solution based on the 1967 borders has long been supported by a large part of the international community. The four countries' joint statement has brought that position to the fore once again.
The meeting took place at a time when reports of tension and conflict are regularly coming from various parts of the Middle East. Observers see the joint initiative as an attempt to build a coordinated diplomatic position among regional powers.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt are all influential states in the Muslim world. Their speaking in one voice on the Palestinian question carries an important message in the international arena.
Although the statement criticised the Israeli government's policies, no reaction from Israel has been reported so far.
It remains to be seen how much influence this joint position of the four countries will have on regional diplomacy in the coming days, and what role it will play in increasing international pressure on the Palestinian question.
