Arab and Islamic leaders urge UN membership freeze for Israel

Leaders from Arab and Islamic nations have called for a move to suspend Israel’s membership in the United Nations, aiming to intensify international pressure over the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Lebanon. This proposal marks a significant shift in strategy, underscoring the severity with which regional leaders view the escalation of violence in the Middle East.

During a summit in Riyadh, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit highlighted the importance of the proposed action to freeze Israel's UN membership. He described it as a “major step” toward addressing longstanding grievances. “There is a paragraph in this text that I find very important and vital, a paragraph that talks about moving before the General Assembly to freeze Israel's membership,” Aboul Gheit stated. He pointed out that Israel's initial admission to the UN in 1949 had been under Resolution 181, a decision that many now view as overdue for reconsideration.

Aboul Gheit expressed confidence that a broad coalition of countries would support the effort. “Today, the Islamic group and the Arab group are two organizations moving before the international community, and I am confident that there are many countries that will support the idea of freezing membership,” he added.

The Riyadh summit convened leaders from across the Arab and Islamic world with the objective of finding a path to de-escalation, promoting peace, and halting the cycle of violence. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan reaffirmed the collective commitment to seek a diplomatic resolution. At a press briefing following the summit, he emphasized the importance of holding the international community accountable for its response to the conflict: “We must not allow the international community to try to ignore Israeli crimes and try to focus on non-essential matters and try to justify silence in any way.”

The summit’s concluding statement urged countries worldwide to halt any export or transfer of weapons and ammunition to Israel. Additionally, it endorsed a Turkish-led initiative, supported by 18 core countries and signed by 52 nations, alongside the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League. This initiative seeks to exert pressure on the United Nations Security Council and other international entities to put an end to the arms flow to Israel and calls for global endorsement of the resolution.