Oman leads Arab support for Syria amid Israeli airstrikes
In a series of consultations over two days following the Israeli bombardment last week, H E Sayyid Badr spoke with counterparts from Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and Egypt. The ministers issued a joint statement denouncing the attacks and expressed unified support for Syria's territorial integrity.
The statement reaffirmed rejection of any foreign interference in Syria's internal affairs and welcomed recent efforts to defuse tensions in the southern Suwayda governorate. The ministers backed an agreement aimed at ending unrest in the area and commended Syrian President Ahmad al Shara's pledge to hold those responsible for violations against civilians accountable.
The ministers also voiced support for national efforts to restore security and uphold the rule of law across Syria, stressing the need to reject violence, sectarianism and hate speech. They warned that Israeli strikes not only violate Syria's sovereignty but also undermine efforts to stabilise the country and rebuild after more than a decade of conflict.
'Syria's security and stability are essential to regional security and represent a shared priority,' the statement said. The ministers called on the international community to support the Syrian government's reconstruction plans and urged the UN Security Council to take action to stop Israeli aggression and ensure full withdrawal from occupied Syrian territory.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
15 hours ago
- Times of Oman
UN calls for urgent, coordinated action to launch recovery efforts in Lebanon
New York: The United Nations on Thursday called for urgent and coordinated action to launch recovery efforts in Lebanon, warning that the country's protracted crisis is worsening under the combined impact of war and other compounding shocks. In a joint report released today titled "The Socio-Economic Impact of the 2024 War on Lebanon," the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in collaboration with UNICEF, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and UN-Habitat, revealed that the conflict in Lebanon displaced more than 1.2 million people, damaged or destroyed nearly 64,000 buildings, and interrupted education for hundreds of thousands of students. The report highlighted that micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises - which make up 90 percent of Lebanon's economy - were among the hardest hit. About 15 percent of these businesses permanently closed, 75 percent suspended operations during the conflict, and nearly 30 percent lost their entire workforce. In areas most heavily targeted by Israeli airstrikes, 70 percent of businesses were forced into full closure, the report said, noting that the economic toll has been severe, with Lebanon's economy contracting by 38 percent between 2019 and 2024. The report suggests that comprehensive recovery anchored in structural reforms could reverse the decline, projecting economic growth of 8.2 percent in 2026 and 7.1 percent in 2027. However, even with such reforms, the country's GDP would remain 8.4 percent below its 2017 peak of USD 51.2 billion.
Observer
18 hours ago
- Observer
Thailand and Cambodia's deadly border dispute: what we know
Cambodia: Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, killing at least 11 civilians, in a sharp escalation of a long-running border dispute. The two countries are locked in a bitter feud over parts of the Emerald Triangle, where their borders meet Laos and several ancient temples stand. How did it start? The territorial row has dragged on for decades, but the latest flare-up between the two countries began with military border clashes in May that left one Cambodian soldier then, the two sides have hit each other with retaliatory measures, with Thailand restricting border crossings and Cambodia halting certain members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine blast on Wednesday in the Nam Yuen district of northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province, according to the Thai Thai ministry of public health said Thursday at least 11 civilians had been killed in cross-border strikes by Cambodia.A spokesperson for Cambodia's defence ministry declined to comment on Thursday when asked about casualties on its side. What happened? The conflict blazed on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery into Thailand, and Thai F-16s carried out strikes on two Cambodian military targets, officials said.A Cambodian shell hit a Thai house, killing one civilian and wounding three, including a clashes erupted near two temples on the border between the Thai province of Surin and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey, with both sides trading condemned Cambodia as "inhumane, brutal and war-hungry", accusing it of targeting homes and civilian infrastructure.- What is the state of diplomacy? - The violence came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy in protest after the landmine embassy in Phnom Penh urged its nationals to leave Cambodia "as soon as possible" unless they had urgent reasons to Prime Minister Hun Manet on Thursday requested the UN Security Council convene an "urgent meeting" to address what his foreign ministry called "unprovoked military aggression".China, a close ally of Cambodia, said it was "deeply concerned" about the clashes, calling for Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia, which currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, called on its fellow ASEAN members Thailand and Cambodia to "stand down". Thai political crisis? The border dispute has also triggered a domestic political crisis in Thailand, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office pending an ethics probe over her an attempt to defuse the row, Paetongtarn held a diplomatic call with Hun Sen, Cambodia's former longtime ruler and father of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun phone call was leaked from the Cambodian side last month, sparking a judicial investigation.- Cambodia's future conscripts? - Hun Manet announced this month that Cambodia would start conscripting civilians next year, activating a long-dormant mandatory draft cited rising tensions with Thailand for the conscription law dates back to 2006 but has never been Manet has proposed conscripts serve for two years to bolster the country's 200,000 personnel, requiring citizens aged 18 to 30 to enlist in the military.
Observer
18 hours ago
- Observer
GCC urges international community to act urgently on Gaza
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has voiced its condemnation and strong denunciation of the continued unjust, inhumane, and illegal siege imposed by Israeli occupation forces on the Gaza Strip and their prevention of the entry of all forms of humanitarian aid. In a statement today, the GCC Secretary General Jasem bin Mohammed Al Budaiwi emphasized that the siege has resulted in a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, manifested in the spread of famine and the depletion of food and medical supplies, in a flagrant violation of the provisions of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, human rights principles, and in clear defiance of the international community. Al Budaiwi affirmed that the GCC holds the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip, including the policy of forced collective starvation pursued by the occupation forces against our brethren in Gaza. "This constitutes a full-fledged war crime that requires urgent accountability from the international community, he stressed. Moreover, he called on the international community, including all its states, institutions, and organisations, to take immediate and serious action to stop this brutal siege, halt the machine of killing and starvation, ensure the entry of urgent humanitarian aid, open the crossings without delay, and save the lives of innocent people from a certain catastrophe. Additionally, the GCC Secretary General reiterated the firm stance of the GCC states in supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to a dignified life, freedom, and self-determination, and to achieve a just and lasting peace in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
