DOHA: Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Qatar on Tuesday to lead Saudi Arabia’s delegation at the 44th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), responding to an invitation from Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.
The summit, attended by high-ranking officials from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, is set to address issues of common interest and explore avenues to strengthen bilateral relations. The leaders will also engage in discussions on regional cooperation, with a primary focus on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In his opening remarks at the summit, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani directed a strong appeal to the UN Security Council, urging intervention to compel Israel to return to the negotiating table concerning the war in Gaza.
The Emir expressed dismay at the international community’s inaction, describing it as “shameful” to allow the ongoing conflict to persist for nearly two months, resulting in the systematic and deliberate killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, including women and children.
Emphasizing Qatar’s continuous efforts to renew the truce, the Emir clarified that such efforts were not an alternative to a permanent ceasefire. He called for an international investigation into the alleged massacres committed by Israel and condemned the targeting of civilians.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also joined the representatives of the six Gulf countries. Speaking on the occasion, Erdogan said there had been $23bn worth of trade between Turkey and the GCC nations.
Erdogan went on to condemn Israel’s continued bombardment of the Gaza Strip and said that Netanyahu is committing war crimes against humanity in Gaza. He said that Netanyahu “is pushing the entire region into danger for the sake of his political future.”
