Since the ‘al-Aqsa Deluge’ Operation was carried out by Hamas on the dawn Saturday, 7 October, Arab states expressed a range of political and popular responses. Below is an overview of some of the most prominent reactions.
Egypt
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held numerous phone calls with leaders in the Arab world and beyond. In a phone call he received from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, to discuss efforts aimed at halting the current escalation, both agreed on ‘the importance of intensive work towards stopping the military escalation, to prevent the situation from deteriorating into vicious cycles of violence and human suffering, while taking into the account the potentially grave consequences on regional security and stability.’ El-Sisi also discussed the situation in Gaza with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, resulting in an agreement to ‘urge all parties to immediately stop confrontations and violence.’ In this conversation, both presidents emphasized that ‘ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict once and for all comes through providing hope and a political horizon.’ Further, in a call with the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, the official spokesperson for the Egyptian presidency explained that it was agreed to ‘consult and coordinate between Egypt and Saudi Arabia during the coming period, to confirm the Arab vision regarding the Palestinian question, which centers on reaching a comprehensive and just settlement based on the two-state solution and according to the norms of international legitimacy, as this matter requires immediate calm and the cessation of military confrontations on all sides.’
Similarly, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the morning of Saturday, 7 October, which warned of ‘serious dangers of the ongoing escalation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, following a series of attacks against Palestinian cities.’ The statement also warned of ‘dangerous repercussions as a result of the escalation of violence, which would negatively impact any future efforts of de-escalation.’
Egyptian diplomatic channels also held numerous phone calls with officials in the Arab world and beyond. Sameh Shoukry, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, contacted several ministers of foreign affairs in the region, including Ayman Safadi (Jordan), Abdullah bin Zayed (United Arab Emirates), among others. In a call between Shoukry and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the former stressed ‘the need for the international community to stick to its ultimate goal: that of reaching a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian question on the basis of the two-state solution, as well as to establish an independent Palestinian state on the basis of the June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. This requires stopping raids into Palestinian cities, refraining from taking repeated provocative actions that fuel hostilities, and encouraging both parties to de-escalate and return to the path of negotiations.’
Jordan
In a throne speech delivered during the opening of the ordinary session of the Jordanian House of Representatives on 11 October, King Abdullah II affirmed that ‘the dangerous escalation and acts of violence and aggression that the Palestinian territories are currently witnessing reassert that our region will not know security and stability without a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, so that the Palestinian people obtain their independent, sovereign state on the basis of the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Then, the cycles of killing for which innocent civilians pay the price will come to an end.’
Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, held numerous calls with his peers in the region and the wider world. According to a statement from the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, they discussed ‘stopping the dangerous escalation in Gaza and its envelope, emphasizing the importance of international mobilization to stop the worsening of the situation, protect civilians, and respect international humanitarian law.’ The statement also asserted that ‘continued escalation will fuel the conflict and have disastrous repercussions on the entire region.’
Lebanon
In a statement, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said that ‘the developments in Palestine are an outcome of Israel’s continued occupation of the Palestinian territories and its daily attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites.’
Hezbollah, on the other hand, congratulated the Hamas movement on the ‘large-scale, heroic operation.’ Commenting on al-Aqsa Deluge, Hashim Safi Al Din, head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, said: ‘Netanyahu must know that this battle is not just the battle of Gaza… We are not passive.’
Qatar
In a statement issued on the first day of the battle, Saturday 7 October, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that ‘Israel alone is responsible for the escalation taking place now, due to its continued violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, the latest of which are the repeated raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli police.’
Moreover, the Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed its ‘deep concern about the developments of the situation in the Gaza Strip,’ calling on ‘all parties to de-escalate the situation and exercise the utmost restraint.’
Qatar plays a diplomatic role in terms of de-escalation, through its contacts it with countries and international organizations globally on the one hand, and with the Hamas movement regarding prisoners of war on the other hand.
Saudi Arabia
In a call held with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the military escalation in Gaza and the security and stability of the region, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia stands with Palestinians, to achieve their ambitions and reach a just and comprehensive peace.
In another call with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Bin Salman stressed that ‘Saudi Arabia stands with the Palestinian people, to achieve their legitimate rights, to fulfill their hopes and aspirations, and to reach a just and lasting peace.’
In addition to that, a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry clarified that ‘the Kingdom is closely following developments in the unprecedented situation between a number of Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation forces, which has resulted in a serious level of violence taking place on a number of fronts there.’
Saudi Arabia also called for ‘an immediate cessation of escalation between the two sides, the protection of civilians and restraint,’ while renewing its ‘call on the international community to trigger a reliable peace process that leads to a two-state solution.’
United Arab Emirates
In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry expressed the country's ‘deep concern about the escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.’ The statement also noted that as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UAE calls for the immediate reactivation of the Quartet on the Middle East to revive the trajectory of Arab-Israeli peace.’
The UAE Foreign Ministry also emphasized ‘the necessity of stopping the escalation and preserving the lives of civilians,’ offering ‘sincere condolences to all the victims whose lives were taken as a result of the recent fighting.’
Further, the Ministry called for ‘exercising the utmost restraint and an immediate ceasefire to avoid dangerous repercussions,’ urging the international community to ‘advance all efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace, and prevent the region from being dragged into new levels of violence, tensions, and instability.’
Morocco
The Kingdom of Morocco expressed its ‘deep concern over the deteriorating situation and the outbreak of military activities in the Gaza Strip, and condemns the targeting of civilians by any side.’
In a statement, Morocco explained that it ‘has always warned of the repercussions of the political impasse on peace in the region, and of the dangers of increasing tensions as a result.’ As such, Morocco called for ‘an immediate cessation of all acts of violence, a return to calm, and the eschewing of all forms of escalation that would undermine the chances of peace in the region.’
In the same statement, Morocco declared that ‘the approach of dialogue and negotiations remains the only means through which to reach a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestinian question, on the basis of international legitimacy resolutions and the internationally agreed-upon principle of the two-state solution.’
Iraq
In a statement, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s media office affirmed that ‘the operations carried out by the Palestinian people today are a natural outcome of the systemic oppression that they have been subjected for decades at the hands of the Zionist occupation regime, which has never adhered to international and UN resolutions.’
In this statement, the Prime Minister ‘call[s] on the international community to take action to put an end to the serious violations and to restore the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people who still suffer from occupation, apartheid policies, blockade, violation of holy sites, and of humanitarian values and principles.’
Kuwait
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered the current escalation to be ‘a result of the continued violations and blatant attacks committed by the Israeli occupation regime against the sister nation of Palestine.’ Kuwait also expressed its ‘deep concern’ over the situation.
The Ministry also called on the international community to ‘fulfill its responsibilities, stop the violence, provide protection for the brotherly people of Palestine, and to end the provocative practices of the occupation regime.’
Tunisia
Meanwhile, Tunisia expressed its ‘full and unconditional support for the Palestinian people, reminding that what some media outlets describe as the Gaza envelope is Palestinian land that has been under Zionist occupation for decades, and that the Palestinian people have the right to reclaim it and to reclaim the entirety of the land of Palestine. The Palestinian people also have the right to establish their independent state with the holy Quds, Islam’s third holiest and first prayer mosque, as its capital.’
In a statement, the Tunisian presidency stated that ‘Tunisia calls on all people of conscience in the world to stand with the Palestinian people, and to remember the massacres carried out by the Zionist enemy against our Arab peoples in Palestine and even against the entire Muslim community. The whole world must not forget the enemy’s massacres in al-Dawayima, Balad al-Shaykh, in Deir Yassin, Kafr Qasim, Khan Yunis, the Ibrahimi Mosque, and many more.’
Tunisia called on the world ‘not to forget the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were displaced and robbed of their lands,’ emphasizing that ‘the world must remember these histories and recognize the right to legitimate resistance to the occupation, and not consider this resistance an attack or an escalation.’
Algeria
In a statement, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that ‘with great concern, Algeria is following the development of the brutal Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, which claimed the lives of dozens of innocent sons and daughters of the Palestinian people, who were martyred in light of the persistence of the Zionist occupation and the politics of tyranny and persecution that it imposes on the brave people of Palestine.’
The statement added that ‘Algeria strongly condemns these policies and practices that violate the most basic humanitarian laws and principles of international legitimacy.’
Moreover, Algeria renewed ‘the demand for the immediate intervention of the international community through the relevant international bodies to protect the Palestinian people from Zionist arrogance and criminality, both features of their occupation of Palestinian land.’
Syria
Syria declared that it ‘stands with the Palestinian people and their resistance forces against zionist terrorism.’ Syria considered that ‘this honorable achievement proves that the only way to achieve the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people is resistance in all of its forms.’
Sultanate of Oman
In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, Oman declared that ‘with interest and concern, it is following the ongoing escalation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.’
Oman explained that this escalation is ‘the result of the continued illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the ongoing Israeli aggression, and portends serious repercussions.’ Oman stressed ‘the importance of protecting civilians’ and called on both parties to ‘exercise the utmost levels of restraint.’
The Arab League
According to a statement from the spokesperson of Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League, he called for ‘an immediate halt to military operations in Gaza,’ reminding that ‘Israel’s continued implementation of violent and extremist policies is a time bomb depriving the region of any serious opportunities for stability in the foreseeable future.’
The spokesperson also added that ‘the Secretary-General is fully convinced of the international community’s responsibility for the current situation, in the absence of any real responses to the Israeli right-wing’s provocative policies against Islamic holy sites and the two-state solution.’
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)
Jassim Muhammad Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) called for an immediate halt to the escalation, and to protect innocent civilians.
Al-Budaiwi held the occupation forces responsible for these conditions that, according to him, resulted from the ‘continuation of the blatant and ongoing Israeli attacks against the people and holy places of Palestine.’
Al-Budaiwi stated that the ongoing Israeli attacks represent a flagrant violation of international conventions and law, and that they obstruct the efforts of the peace process to resolve the Palestinian question. He also renewed his call on the institutions of the international community to intervene forcefully and quickly. This would be to revive efforts to empower the Palestinian people with their legitimate rights to establish their state along the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. According to him, this would be a means to achieving the peace and stability desired in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Since Saturday morning, Palestinian resistance groups in operating Gaza have intensively fired missiles towards Israel, in addition to a land, sea and air incursion, while sirens sounded in several areas, including Tal Abib, al-Quds, Asdoud, and Asqalan.
