President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, called for an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, warning that “the conflict in Palestine has persisted for far too long, inflicting immeasurable suffering.”
Addressing the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, convened to discuss the current situation in the Middle East, President Tinubu expressed concern over the humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
This is as Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, among other leaders, also demanded that Israel immediately stop its military aggression in Gaza and Lebanon.
More than 50 leaders of Arab and Islamic countries are taking part in the summit, including Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.
This comes as the war in the Gaza Strip reached 402 days with at least 43,603 Palestinians killed and over 102,929 wounded.
Out of those killed are 16,765 children.
It was gathered that aside this figure, another 10,000 people are feared buried under debris.
In the occupied West Bank, 780 people, including 167, have been killed since October 7, Al Jazeera reports. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Israel has killed over 3,243 people since October 2023.
The extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit comes a year after a similar gathering in Riyadh of the Cairo-based Arab League and the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), during which leaders condemned Israeli actions in Gaza as “barbaric.”
‘Killings must stop’
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the Nigerian leader on Information and Strategy, in a statement yesterday, said Tinubu reiterated Nigeria’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and affirmed Nigeria’s support for a two-state solution, where both Israelis and Palestinians can co-exist in security and dignity.
He noted that this solution remains a viable path to lasting peace in the region.
“As representatives of nations that value justice, dignity, and the sanctity of human life, we have a moral obligation to collectively bring about an immediate end to this conflict.
“It is not enough to issue empty condemnations. The world must work towards an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, which has persisted for far too long.
“No political aim, no military strategy, and no security concern should come at the expense of so many innocent lives,” he said.
The Nigerian leader called on the parties in the conflict in the Middle East to respect the principles of proportionality and the basic rights of civilians, consistent with global legal and diplomatic frameworks.
“In a rules-based international order, states have the right to self-defence. But self-defence must take proportionality into account, in line with global legal, diplomatic, and moral frameworks.
“An entire civilian population, along with their dreams and futures, cannot be dismissed as collateral,” he said.
Explaining Nigeria’s principled and consistent stance on the two-state solution, President Tinubu emphasised that it stands as a beacon of hope, representing the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination and peace.
“It is not just a diplomatic article of faith; it is a vision grounded in the principles of equality and mutual recognition.
“Achieving this vision requires a commitment to dialogue and respect for history. We all know this conflict did not begin on October 7, 2023. It can only be resolved through principled compromise, based on an appreciation of the proper context.
“This conflict, in the cradle of history, is so visceral that the ripples of division spread quickly and widely. The corrosive impact of images of endless violence, repeated on a billion smartphones around the world, is enormous. We must find new pathways to peace without delay,” he said.
The Nigerian leader commended King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince bin Salman for convening the summit, describing it as a vital opportunity to renew diplomatic efforts and work toward sustainable peace.
He assured that Nigeria, given its own experiences, would continue to support international efforts that advance peace and stability in the Middle East.
“Our experiences, both domestically and regionally, have taught us that identity politics are no substitute for respecting the nuances of diversity,” he said.
According to President Tinubu, “The path to reconciliation may be fraught with challenges, but it is through honest conversations that we can foster understanding.
“The international community has the opportunity to bring new thinking to this relentless challenge.
“It is our duty to engage in this dialogue with sincerity and resolve, recognising the complexities that each side faces”, he said.
The president called for the establishment of a secretariat to implement the resolutions of the summit, just as he urged the leaders to mandate a select group of Heads of Government to canvass global support and oversee the implementation of the summit’s resolutions, providing regular reports to a joint OIC and Arab League leadership until permanent peace is achieved in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince speaks
In his opening remarks, Crown Prince bin Salman condemned Israeli actions in Gaza and Lebanon, including the targeting of civilians and the continued violation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He also condemned the Israeli ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from delivering relief aid to Palestinians and the displacement of Lebanese people.
He emphasised the importance of preserving Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Crown Prince highlighted Saudi Arabia’s role in promoting Palestinian statehood based on the 1967 borders, mentioning international recognition and the establishment of a Global Coalition with the European Union and Norway.
He urged more states to join the Global Coalition.
Other leaders’ call for an end to Israeli aggression
Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, also joined MBS in condemning Israel’s military operation in Gaza and Lebanon, saying that “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,” Aboul Gheit said.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on his part, told the summit that his country was suffering an “unprecedented” crisis that threatens its existence, as Israel wages war on Hezbollah.
Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian did not attend the meeting due to pressing ‘executive matters’, Daily Trust gathered.
But Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref condemned Israel’s assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders as “organised terrorism” in remarks to the summit.
Meanwhile, the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, yesterday, criticised the lack of response from Muslim countries in addressing the ongoing genocide in Gaza, while accusing some Western nations of providing full support to Israel.
“A handful of Western countries have provided all kinds of military, political, economic, and moral support to Israel, while the failure of Muslim countries to respond adequately has led to the situation on the ground reaching this point.
“Israel’s goal is to settle in Gaza, eliminate the Palestinian presence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and ultimately annex the region. There is a gradual movement toward this goal, and we must prevent it,” he said.
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