News - Middle East: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has demanded that Israel immediately stop its deadly hostilities in the besieged Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

In an address to the 57-member OIC summit in Riyadh on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman condemned the “massacre committed against Palestinian and Lebanese people.”

Bin Salman urged Israel “to refrain from any further act of aggression.”

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the secretary-general of the Arab League, also joined the Saudi crown prince in condemning Israel’s campaign of death and destruction in Gaza and Lebanon. “Words cannot express the plight of the Palestinian people.”

“The actions taken by Israel against the Palestinian people are undermining efforts to achieve lasting peace. It is only with justice that we will be able to establish lasting peace.”

The Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya news channel broadcast footage of heads of Islamic states landing in Riyadh for the summit on Sunday evening.

President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran did not attend the meeting due to pressing “executive matters.” But in a phone call with the Saudi crown prince, Pezeshkian said Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref will attend the summit.

The summit comes one year after a similar gathering of the OIC, during which leaders condemned Israeli actions in Gaza as “barbaric.”

On Sunday afternoon, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan chaired the preparatory ministerial meeting ahead of Monday’s session.

The Saudi Press Agency said, “The escalating violence in the Palestinian and Lebanese territories, including the brutal Israeli aggression, has compelled Arab and Islamic leaders to take urgent action.”

“Key priorities include halting the aggression, protecting civilians, providing support to the Palestinian and Lebanese people, unifying positions, and exerting pressure on the international community to take decisive steps to end the ongoing attacks and establish lasting peace and stability in the region.”

Source: Press TV