JEDDAH, August 27, 2026 (WAFA) — The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Thursday convened the 23rd extraordinary session of its Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with the participation of the organisation's 57 member states.

The session reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem to the Muslim world and reiterated support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, independence and freedom, as well as the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.

In its final statement, the council stressed that the Palestinian territory—including the West Bank, occupied East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip—constitutes a single geographic and political unit. It rejected all attempts to separate any part of the occupied Palestinian territory or impose new political, security or administrative realities on the ground.

The council condemned Israel's ongoing war in Gaza, including killings, starvation, forced displacement and systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure. It called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and an immediate transition to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, including a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the opening of all crossings and the sustained, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

It welcomed diplomatic and mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye aimed at consolidating the ceasefire and ending the Israeli offensive.

The council also categorically rejected calls to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and called on the international community to prevent any such displacement and support Palestinians’ steadfastness on their land.

The OIC strongly condemned Israel's expanding settlement activity and land seizures across the occupied West Bank, including attacks by Israeli colonists, the destruction of homes and agricultural land, and attacks on places of worship.

It specifically condemned Israel’s implementation of the E1 settlement plan and its tender for 1,234 settlement units as part of a wider plan for 3,401 units in the strategically important E1 area east of occupied Jerusalem.

The council warned that the project would sever the territorial contiguity of the West Bank and isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings, describing it as a dangerous escalation that defies international law and threatens regional peace and stability.

It called on OIC member states, the international community and international organisations to impose deterrent measures and pursue political, diplomatic, legal and economic steps to halt and dismantle Israel’s settlement system in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The council also condemned the continued siege imposed by Israeli colonists on three Palestinian homes in Qusra, south of Nablus, describing it as organised terrorism requiring accountability.

The council condemned ongoing Israeli measures targeting occupied Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, including daily incursions and the performance of Jewish religious rituals at the compound.

It rejected all measures aimed at altering the existing historical and legal status quo and warned against plans to impose temporal or spatial division at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The council also condemned decisions by some countries to relocate embassies or announce plans to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, urging them to reverse such decisions and comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 478 of 1980.

It called for international protection for the Palestinian people and their national rights and urged action to disarm Israeli colonists in accordance with Security Council Resolution 904 of 1994.

The OIC reaffirmed the central and irreplaceable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), rejecting attempts to undermine its mandate and urging countries to provide sustainable financial support.

It condemned Israel’s continued withholding of Palestinian tax revenues and called for their immediate, full and unconditional release. It also urged OIC member states to urgently and regularly activate the Islamic financial safety net to support the Palestinian government and strengthen Palestinian resilience.

The council praised the Palestinian government’s institutional reform and development efforts and welcomed steps toward strengthening governance, transparency and the democratic process.

It also condemned Israeli measures targeting Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque, including attempts to undermine the authority of the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and the Hebron Municipality and impose Israeli control over the mosque’s courtyard.

The council stressed that such measures are null and void and violate international law, while calling for international protection of the Ibrahimi Mosque and Hebron’s Old City.

The council condemned abuses against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention facilities, calling for international efforts to protect their rights and secure their release.

The OIC reaffirmed its support for international mechanisms addressing Israeli violations and stressed the need for accountability under international law.

The council concluded by reaffirming that lasting peace and security in the Middle East depend on realizing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

M.N