Foreign ministers from Turkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have called for the urgent implementation of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, saying Israel's occupation is a primary source of instability in the region and beyond.
In a joint statement issued after a meeting of the four-country group in Istanbul on Friday, the ministers said Israeli policies had reinforced a deep sense of injustice among public opinion worldwide.
They reaffirmed their commitment to diplomatic efforts to promote peace and stability, in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter.
The ministers called for an immediate end to ongoing Israeli violence, efforts to alter the historical and legal status of Jerusalem, and the destruction and humanitarian suffering in Palestine.
They also condemned past and present settlement activities in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, as well as settler violence against Palestinians.
The statement stressed the urgent need to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and support its reconstruction.
On Yemen, the ministers strongly condemned unacceptable escalation by the Houthi group, including continued attacks on Saudi Arabia, particularly those targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
They also condemned attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Bab Al Mandeb Strait.
The four countries expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government, calling on the Houthis to immediately halt all military actions, threats and attacks, and return to the political process in good faith.
Addressing the military conflict between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, as well as developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, the ministers emphasized the urgent need to resolve the conflict exclusively through dialogue and diplomacy.
They called for civilians and civilian infrastructure, including ships, to be protected from attack.
The ministers expressed support for a memorandum of understanding signed in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, and welcomed ongoing diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
They also reiterated their commitment to achieving a lasting negotiated settlement.
The statement underlined the importance of freedom of navigation and long-term maritime safety and security, as well as the protection of navigational rights and freedoms.
The ministers warned that disruptions to maritime routes threaten global security and prosperity by obstructing supply chains and the flow of energy, fertilizers and food.
Such disruptions, they said, disproportionately affect vulnerable populations both within and beyond the region, making a collective international response necessary.
They rejected measures or restrictions that impede lawful navigation and called for the swift and full restoration of safe, unimpeded passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
The four ministers agreed to continue close consultations and coordination on the issues addressed in the joint statement.