Saudi Arabia Calls Haniyeh Killing a ‘Blatant Violation’ of Iran’s Sovereignty

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On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, calling it a “blatant violation” of Iran’s sovereignty.

This statement by Saudi Arabia’s deputy foreign minister came during an urgent session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) members. It marks the kingdom’s first public response since the Palestinian Islamist leader was killed in Tehran on July 31. Waleed Al-Khuraiji, the minister, asserted that Saudi Arabia opposes “any violation of the sovereignty of states or interference in the internal affairs of any country.”

The Saudi remarks reflect earlier statements by Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara, who leads the Saudi-based Islamic coalition. Tangara warned that the “heinous” assassination of Haniyeh could escalate tensions in the Middle East into “wider conflict.”

An OIC statement following the meeting held Israel accountable for the attack, labeling it a “serious infringement” of Iran’s sovereignty and condemning the “heinous” act.

At the same meeting, a senior Iranian official indicated that Iran might need to take defensive actions against Israel, which is accused of being behind Haniyeh’s assassination.

Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement in the high-profile killing, which occurred shortly after Israel targeted Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Lebanon. This attack followed a Hezbollah rocket strike that killed 12 children in the Golan Heights days earlier.

Hamas has announced Yahya Sinwar as Haniyeh’s successor.

Iranian and Palestinian officials requested Wednesday’s OIC meeting in Jeddah to address the assassination of the Hamas leader.

Tangara commented that Haniyeh’s death “will not quell the Palestinian cause but rather it amplifies it, underscoring the urgency for justice and human rights for the Palestinian people.”

He added, “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of nation states are fundamental principles underpinning the international order. Respecting these principles has profound implications and their violation equally carries significant consequences.”

Iran has pledged to retaliate for Haniyeh’s killing, and the region is anticipating possible strikes on Israel by Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has also vowed to respond to Shukr’s assassination.

Ali Bagheri, Iran’s acting foreign minister, told the OIC, “Currently, in the absence of any appropriate action by the [United Nations] Security Council against the aggressions and violations of the Israeli regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to use its inherent right to legitimate defense against the aggressions of this regime.”

The meeting also covered the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

OIC leaders, alongside counterparts from the Arab League, had condemned Israeli actions in Gaza in a November summit. However, despite strong statements, there were internal disagreements, with some nations proposing measures such as cutting off oil supplies to Israel and its allies, as well as severing economic and diplomatic relations.

Diplomats noted that countries with official diplomatic relations with Israel, such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, opposed these proposals.

Saudi political analyst Mohammed bin Saleh al-Harbi remarked to AFP that the OIC meeting was unlikely to result in anything more than “condemnation and denunciation.”

{Matzav.com}

3 COMMENTS

  1. On October 2, 2018, in lstanbul, Türkiye, Jamaal Kashoggi was killed and dismembered by a hired secret Saudi killer. Remember that Mr. King?

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