President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has highlighted the pivotal role of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Ummah to come together to support Palestine’s pursuit of freedom and dignity.
The president made the remarks in his address at the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit currently ongoing at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
While commending Saudi Arabia’s exemplary leadership convening the timely summit, President Muizzu praised the Arab leader for its unwavering dedication to renewing the collective resolve and inspiring decisive action, which he added stands as a “beacon of hope for the entire Ummah.”
He thanked the both the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for their leadership.
“The foresight, wisdom, and relentless commitment of Saudi Arabia, as the leader of the Islamic world, in addressing the challenges faced by Muslims worldwide is truly commendable,” Muizzu said.
He further highlighted the Saudi Kingdom’s efforts in forging a global alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution, which he added demonstrated a “profound dedication to justice and self-determination for the Palestinian people.”
President Muizzu also commended the efforts of the Ministerial Committee mandated by last year’s summit for mustering international support and building consensus towards an end to the violence.
While stressing on Israel’s continued and brutal occupation and the ongoing genocide has caused unimaginable death, destruction and suffering of the Palestinian people who have been living through decades of terror and injustice.
Muizzu, while emphasizing the death toll of nearly 50,000 Palestinians and thousands more in Lebanon in the past year alone, said that the condemnations against the continued genocide have “rung hollow”.
“The actions of powerful nations, [especially the United States and its allies] demonstrate that they don’t recognize that the lives of Palestinians are as valuable as other human lives.”
Noting that the continued silence and inaction of the US has enabled Israel’s brutal occupation and apartheid to persist, Muizzu said that the international community has failed the people of Palestine as well. Particularly those wielding significant political and economic influence.
He further stressed that the veto power in the UN Security Council has been a constant obstacle to reaching a peaceful resolution, as it had allowed war crimes to go unpunished.
While urging the international community to step up their support both financially and politically in ending the war, Muizzu stressed that the Maldives had filed a declaration of intervention at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in support of South Africa’s case against Israel.
He also reiterated the Maldives’ rejection of Israel’s “outrageous decision” to dismantle UNRWA.
Muizzu stressed that the plight of the Palestinian people is a wound “that strikes at the heart of our Ummah.”
“It is not incumbent upon all Muslim and Arab nations to work together, under Saudi Arabia’s leadership, to push for meaningful change.”
