JEDDAH, Tuesday, June 11, 2024 (WAFA) – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation today deplored Argentina’s hostile positions on the Palestinian Question.

In a press statement, the OIC General Secretariat expressed “its regret and dismay at the Argentinian President’s reversal of his decision to attend a planned meeting with the Council of Ambassadors of the Arab and Islamic Groups. President Xavier Meli cited the presence of the representative of the State of Palestine as his reason.”

“The OIC General Secretariat dismissed this behaviour as disappointing, noting that it not only undermines the status and rights of the State of Palestine but also constitutes a hostile and unjustified attitude towards the Islamic Group,” the statement read.

The OIC emphasized “the importance of adhering to established diplomatic norms in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which affirm that diplomatic representatives must be treated with due respect and equality among all States.”

The OIC slammed President Meli’s behavior as “unacceptable” and viewed it “as part of a recent pattern of hostility by the President of Argentina, who appears to stand on the wrong side of history by aligning with the Israeli occupation.”

It noted that “this stance runs counter to Argentina's obligations under international law and resolutions of international legitimacy”.

It called upon Argentina to “reconsider its position on denying the rights of the Palestinian people, who are subjected to genocide in the Gaza Strip,” while urging Argentina to “adopt a traditional and balanced policy consistent with the approaches and positions of South American States on the question of Palestine, in the interest of their fraternal and historical ties with OIC member States.”

K.F.