President Bola Tinubu has urged an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, emphasizing that the conflict in Palestine has caused immense suffering for too long.
Speaking at the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, Tinubu expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The one-day summit, a follow-up to last year’s Riyadh summit, was attended by Heads of State and Government from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the League of Arab States.
Tinubu reiterated Nigeria’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and affirmed the country’s support for a two-state solution, allowing both Israelis and Palestinians to coexist in security and dignity.
”The conflict in Palestine has persisted for far too long, inflicting immeasurable suffering on countless lives.”
”As representatives of nations that value justice, dignity, and the sanctity of human life, we have a moral obligation to collectively bring about an immediate end to this conflict. It is not enough to issue empty condemnations. The world must work towards an end to Israeli aggression in Gaza, which has persisted for far too long.
“No political aim, no military strategy, and no security concern should come at the expense of so many innocent lives,” he said.
The Nigerian leader called on parties in the conflict in the Middle East to respect the principles of proportionality and the basic rights of civilians, consistent with global legal and diplomatic frameworks.
”In a rules-based international order, States have the right of self-defence. But self defence must take proportionality into account, in line with global legal, diplomatic – and moral – frameworks. An entire civilian population, their dreams and futures, cannot be dismissed as collateral,” he said.
Explaining Nigeria’s principled and consistent stance on the two-state solution, President Tinubu noted that it stands as a beacon of hope, representing the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination and peace.
”It is not just a diplomatic article of faith; it is a vision grounded in the principles of equality and mutual recognition. Achieving this vision requires a commitment to dialogue and respect for history. We all know this conflict did not begin on October 7 in 2023. It can only be resolved through principled compromise, based on appreciation of the proper context.
”This conflict, in the cradle of history, is so visceral that the ripples of division spread far and quickly. The corrosive impact of the images of endless violence, repeated on a billion smart phones around the world is huge. We need to find new pathways to peace, without delay,” he said.
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