Safadi says Arabs, US reach ‘common ground’ on war on Gaza

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Saturday said a meeting of Arab foreign ministers with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has resulted in establishing a common ground between the US and the Arab consensus on the war on Gaza.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Blinken and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, Safadi said that Arab top diplomats of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan, and the US secretary of state agreed on the need to deliver relief assistance to the Gaza Strip, protect civilians, uphold international law and reject displacement of Palestinians.

"Our discussions today were candid and deep, reflecting diverse Arab and American positions regarding what needs to be done immediately to end this catastrophe. However, we also emphasised our commitment to intensively engage to stop what can only be described as a disaster that will leave its impact on the region for generations,” Safadi said during the conference.

“The common ground included the imperative of delivering sufficient, immediate and sustainable humanitarian support to Gaza, resuming the provision of basic services, protecting civilians, upholding international and humanitarian law and releasing civilians and rejecting the displacement of Palestinians,” Safadi noted.

“Any attempt to do so [displacement of Palestinians], for Jordan, Egypt, and all Arab countries, is another war crime that we will vigorously oppose,” said Safadi.

Safadi explained that Arab countries demand an “immediate” ceasefire, ending the war and the resulting humanitarian catastrophe. “We reject describing it as self-defence because it is a brutal war that kills civilians, destroys their homes, hospitals, schools, mosques, and churches, which cannot be justified under any pretext.”

“Israel’s war crimes must cease... Israel’s immunity from international law must come to an end,” he said, adding, ”This is not a religious war, we need to prevent de-humanisation of Palestinians,” Safadi added.

Blinken renewed calls for a humanitarian pause and said Israel must take every possible measure to protect Palestinian civilians to avoid causalities.

Blinken underlined “Israel’s right to defend itself” but said it has obligation to protect civilians and minimise the harm it causes to them

Shoukry called on the international community to play greater role in stopping the war on Gaza, protect civilians and ensure the delivery of aid assistance into the besieged Gaza Strip.

He also decried what he described as “double standards” in handling the war on Gaza, accusing the international community of acting intensively on other crises in other parts of the world and of inaction when it comes to Palestinians. “The Arab blood is no less worthy.”