WASHINGTON: Arab and Muslim ministers visited Washington on Friday, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict. However, their diplomatic push proved futile as the US rejected a UN resolution demanding a truce.

“We believe it is absolutely necessary to end the fighting immediately,” said Prince Faisal bin Farhan of Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of a group of representatives from the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Co-opera­tion. The delegation included ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Turkiye, the Palestinian Authority, and Nigeria.

The group met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who, in a tweet, highlighted discussions on “our shared goal of establishing a future Palestinian state alongside Israel.”

Both parties emphasised addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza, with Prince Faisal calling for urgent steps towards a ceasefire and the delivery of essential supplies.

“Urgently addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza is a shared priority for both the United States and Saudi Arabia,” Secretary Blinken wrote in a separate post after the meeting.

Prince Faisal said he told Mr Blinken that all possible efforts must be made to reduce the threat of war in Gaza spreading, with “dangerous repercussions on international peace and security,” the state Saudi Press Agency reported.

Stability needs to be restored as well as a “path of peace to ensure that the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights,” he added.

Despite the diplomatic efforts, the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire, co-sponsored by about 100 nations. The resolution expressed “grave concern over the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza, receiving 13 votes in favor, one abstention from Britain, and the US veto.

US Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, criticised the resolution, stating it was “divorced from reality” and failed to acknowledge Israel’s right to self-defence against terrorism. Wood found it “unfathomable” that the resolution didn’t condemn Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel in October. He mentioned the US engaged in good faith on the text, but most recommendations were ignored.

In addition to the Israel-Gaza conflict, Blinken and the ministers discussed the need to end conflicts in Yemen and Sudan. While the US continues to support Israel’s efforts to address the threat from Hamas, it increasingly calls for more protection of Palestinian civilians. The total death toll in Gaza has exceeded 1,400 since the declaration of war by Israel.

The diplomatic discussions also included the meeting between Blinken and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. They emphasised preventing the conflict’s spread and working towards the safe return of hostages while sustaining humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Despite the diplomatic engagements, challenges persist in finding a resolution to the complex situation in the region.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2023