ISTANBUL: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi urged an emergency meeting Saturday of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) following United States (US) President Donald Trump’s proposal to “take over” the Gaza Strip, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported citing a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
The request was made during a telephone call with Tunisian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti.
Trump said on Feb 4 that the US would control Gaza and resettle its Palestinian population to other areas outside of the enclave as part of his plan to transform the territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
The controversial proposal has sparked outrage across the globe, with widespread condemnation including from Palestinians, Arab nations, Canada, France, Germany and the UK.
Araghchi condemned the proposal as part of a larger “colonial plot” aimed at “erasing Palestine.”
He emphasised that the OIC, founded to support Palestine and Jerusalem, must hold the meeting at its earliest opportunity to discuss and make decisions on the matter.
Araghchi demanded an immediate and coordinated response from Muslim nations to confront the plan, which he described as a dangerous threat to the Palestinian people’s future.
Nafti reiterated that Gaza and the West Bank are integral parts of Palestine and any effort to remove Palestinians from those areas is “unacceptable.”
