Manama: Ambassador Abdullah Abdullatif Abdullah, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva, delivered a statement on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states during the interactive dialogue on the oral update of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, under Item 2 of the agenda of the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the GCC states expressed their appreciation for the efforts of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and his Office, acknowledging the contents of his update. The statement included a strong condemnation of recent Iranian attacks targeting several GCC member states, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and their civilian interests, which include the safety of maritime navigation.
The GCC states emphasized that these hostile acts by Iran represent a flagrant violation of state sovereignty and the principles of international law. They highlighted the direct threat posed to regional security and stability and to the safety of citizens and residents. Holding Iran fully responsible for the consequences of these attacks, the GCC called for their immediate cessation.
Furthermore, the GCC states condemned the ongoing settlement policies pursued by Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank, including the settlement plan in the E1 area. They stressed that these policies constitute a blatant violation of international law and systematically undermine the rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state along the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Reaffirming their commitment to the multilateral international system, the principles of international law, and the Charter of the United Nations, the GCC states emphasized resolving disputes through peaceful means, such as dialogue and mediation. They called for intensified international efforts to de-escalate tensions and prioritize diplomatic solutions.