A Palestinian woman reacts in front of a destroyed building in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on January 16, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by AFP)
Kampala, January 18 (RHC)-- Iran has called on members of the Non-Aligned Movement to renew their solidarity with the Palestinian nation, as the Israeli regime’s onslaught on Gaza continues to claim innocent Palestinian lives in the besieged coastal territory.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Reza Najafi, made the remarks on Wednesday addressing the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) foreign ministers in Kampala, Uganda. “The message of the Non-Alignment Movement must be loud and clear so as to show that the movement stands with the Palestinian nation,” Najafi stated.
The Iranian diplomat further said that the summit shows the solidarity between NAM members and the promotion of cooperation between them to protect their nations’ interests. Najafi pointed out that the emerging challenges facing the world require concerted efforts by NAM members to be resolved in an effective and appropriate manner.
“The Non-Aligned Movement has to have an active role in forming the new world order,” he said, adding that solving global issues requires global solutions. He further explained that strengthening solidarity between NAM members and making joint progress toward resolving global issues require the true political will of all Non-Alignment Movement members.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Najafi rebuked unilateral US sanctions as a “tool of Western hegemony,” urging NAM members to firmly oppose the sanctions.
Najafi also called for an immediate and unconditional end to the Israeli regime’s genocide of Palestinian people, highlighting the NAM’s support for South Africa’s filing of a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
On January 11, the ICJ began hearings over a charge that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. South Africa, in an 84-page suit filed against Israel at the top UN court on December 29, asked the top court to urgently declare that the regime has breached its responsibilities under international law since October 7, 2023, when it launched hostilities in the besieged territory.
The 19th NAM Summit under the leadership of Uganda is being held under the theme “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence” and brings together more than 120 developing countries on a platform of crucial historic significance.
The Non-Aligned Movement is the largest grouping of countries outside of the United Nations, making it an important role player in global and multilateral affairs.
