Arab league calls for ceasefire in Gaza and a Palestine state now

Hossam Zaki, assistant secretary general of the Arab League, called for an immediate ceasefire during the war in Gaza and asserted that it was urgent to declare a Palestinian state at a press conference in Beirut.

At the New York summit on the Future, Zaki warned that the UN must become more proactive to find a solution for the Middle East’s confused and meandering path, claiming that global stability is at the line of fire. He described the present state of affairs as a dangerous “crossroads” and did point to a deep humanitarian crisis created by Israel’s military move against Gaza, which has killed over 41,000 people, most of whom are women and children.

Zaki condemned the UN for its failure and “paralysis” to act amid rising violence. He pointed out the sense of anger that people felt in the Arab region with UN Security Council delayed resolutions. He criticized the double standards of the international community in responding to conflicts, noticing how silent the world was on Gaza while being active and vocal in supporting other nations who have engaged in armed conflict.

He blamed the UN, stating that such an organizations’s failure to give Palestine full membership status was very disappointing; and called on the international community to acknowledge that 149 member states support Palestinian statehood, yet argue that this effort to have an independent Palestinian state is undermined by the structure of the UN.