Date: July 28, 2025
Called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, opening of crossings, and entry of aid
Rejected any attempts at forced displacement of our people
Urged full political and diplomatic support toward a two‑state solution
Called on the international community to honor its commitments to refugees and fully fund UNRWA’s budget
Condemned the aid distribution mechanism led by the so‑called “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation”
Denounced the occupying power's plans to establish a “humanitarian city” in Rafah, which they say would function as detention camps
Participants in the 113th session of the Conference of Supervisors for Palestinian Affairs in Arab host countries today, Friday, warned against the continuation of a genocidal and starvation campaign being waged by the Israeli occupation against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip—one that has claimed over 200,000 victims, including killed, injured, and missing, the majority being women and children.
They also warned of organized terrorism carried out by settlers against villages, towns, and cities in the West Bank—most recently in the towns of Kafr Malik and Turmus Ayya in Ramallah Governorate, and Sairif and Masafer Yatta in Hebron Governorate.
These warnings were included in the recommendations issued by the 113th conference session held from July 20 to July 24, 2025 at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo, chaired by Ahmed Abu Holi, member of the PLO Executive Committee and head of the Refugee Affairs Department.
The conference called on the international community to intervene immediately to compel the Israeli occupation to cease its genocidal war and crimes conducted by its army and settlers—to protect the region from further escalation and to bolster opportunities for peace.
The conference demanded an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, opening all crossings for humanitarian aid, rejected any attempts to displace its population, and called for full political and diplomatic backing toward a two‑state solution.
It urged the UN Security Council to establish an independent international commission to investigate Israeli crimes and take decisive measures to prevent these crimes and hold perpetrators accountable.
The conference praised the efforts of Egypt and Qatar in striving for a cease-fire agreement in Gaza, and highly appreciated their roles in reducing escalation and alleviating Palestinian suffering.
It condemned Israel’s decision to halt humanitarian aid entry since March 1, 2025, close all crossings into Gaza, and cut off supplies of electricity, water, and medicine—actions that violate international humanitarian law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, relevant UN resolutions, and represent collective punishment and crimes against humanity requiring accountability under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The conference demanded actions from the international community to stop Israeli crimes, ensure humanitarian assistance enters Gaza permanently and unimpeded, guarantee the safety and facilitation of humanitarian workers, and implement international monitoring to ensure compliance with humanitarian law and prevent starvation from being used as a warfare tool.
It denounced the serious escalation of Israeli settler crimes and violations across West Bank cities, villages, and camps—including Jerusalem—especially in Jenin, Tulkarm and their refugee camps, which resulted in civilian deaths and injuries and displaced over 46,000 Palestinian refugees since the beginning of the year. The occupation government was held fully responsible for this escalation, which threatens regional security stability and undermines peace efforts.
The conference supported Palestine’s right to full UN membership in all its bodies and organizations, appreciated countries recognizing the State of Palestine, and urged all remaining countries to follow suit based on UN Charter principles and legal resolutions affirming the Palestinian people's right to self-determination.
It called on the UN Security Council to uphold its responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security and to enforce relevant resolutions—including Resolutions 2735 (2024), 2728 (2024), 2334 (2016), and UNGA Resolution ES‑10/24 (September 18, 2024)—urging additional measures, including deterrent sanctions, against Israel to end its illegal occupation and colonial settlement of Palestinian land quickly.
The conference welcomed the June 13, 2025 UN General Assembly “historic resolution” demanding a “full, immediate, and unconditional cease‑fire” in Gaza, approved by 149 states, with only 12 opposing and 19 abstaining. It stressed the resolution’s attribution of full responsibility to Israel for the catastrophic situation in Gaza, demanded immediate lifting of the blockade, opening all crossings, ensuring wide access of humanitarian aid to civilians, and reaffirmed the unity of Palestinian territories under Palestinian Authority leadership as the basis for any just political solution.
It demanded Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza, enabling the Palestinian government to resume its authority there as part of the occupied Palestinian land, along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem, to address the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe resulting from the Israeli genocide campaign.
The conference firmly rejected any attempts to divide Gaza and fully supported the Palestinian people in maintaining their land, asserting all inalienable rights—particularly the right of return, self-determination, statehood, and Jerusalem as capital.
It condemned all extremist and racist actions or statements by Israeli government ministers and crimes across West Bank villages and camps, warning of the accelerating organized settler terrorism, with Israeli government backing and military protection. Legal accountability must follow, and colonial and annexation policies rejected, including attempts to impose so‑called Israeli sovereignty on Palestinian land.
The conference welcomed the joint statement from 80 countries in May 2025 on the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by ongoing Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023, describing it as genocide, systematic starvation, and forced displacement—a recognized international admission of the ongoing atrocity and called on UNGA member states to condemn Israel, impose sanctions, and enforce accountability.
It praised the joint statements by the leaders of the UK, France, and Canada, the European Union, donor nations, and the Arab‑Islamic ministerial committee rejecting siege, starvation, displacement, and land seizure—demanding an immediate cease‑fire and unhindered humanitarian aid entry through UN and UNRWA channels to all areas of Gaza, rejecting the use of aid as a political weapon, and moving toward recognition of Palestine.
It commended efforts by Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and Norway to recognize the State of Palestine at the UN as a step toward implementing the two‑state solution—calling it pivotal political support and strategic pressure on the Security Council.
The conference denounced Israel’s continued aggression in 2025, forced displacement that affected 13,500 families (45,000 refugees), systematic destruction of over half of residential units in camps in the northern West Bank—most recently 58 buildings in Tulkarm camp, 48 in Nur Shams, and over 100 homes in Jenin camp. These demolitions aim to erase refugee camps as witnesses to the Nakba and undermine the right of return. It declared that such destruction constitutes crimes of war and ethnic cleansing, calling for urgent international protection of these camps.
It welcomed the May 21 joint statement by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese President Michel Aoun, reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty, banning weapons outside state control, and enhancing coordination to stabilize Palestinian camps in Lebanon while respecting Lebanese laws and Palestinian rights in Lebanon.
The conference reaffirmed its total rejection of any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank and condemned all schemes aimed at altering realities and stripping Palestinians of their rights as crimes against humanity that jeopardize peace and call for firm international opposition.
It stressed the importance of collective support from UN member states, donor countries, host states, and UNRWA to vote overwhelmingly in December 2025 to renew UNRWA’s mandate for three years from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2029, urging no weakening of its mandate under UNGA Resolution 302.
It approved forming a working group led by Jordan to review UNRWA’s Strategic Evaluation Report, examine its scenarios, and produce a stakeholder report highlighting challenges and recommendations—warning that any efforts to empty UNRWA’s role or transfer responsibilities to host countries or international organizations go against Resolution 302.
The conference called on the international community to meet its refugee obligations, fund UNRWA’s budget and emergency appeals, and increase aid to refugees without political conditions—crucial for regional stability and enabling the refugee right of return per UNGA Resolution 194.
It warned of serious political and financial-operational threats facing UNRWA, with a USD 200 million budget shortfall in 2025, hindering staff salaries and risking collapse of services and humanitarian conditions across operation areas—calling for donor support to cover the deficit.
It urged UNRWA to mobilize urgent funding from member states to cover the shortfall and sustain services beyond August 2025, rejecting solutions that would burden refugees or employees.
The conference condemned Israel’s decision to close six UNRWA schools in Jerusalem (Sheikh Jarrah, Silwan, Wadi al‑Joz, Sur Baher) in May 2025, viewing it as part of illegal policies targeting the agency in East Jerusalem.
It emphasized bolstering Palestinian steadfastness through enhanced financial and service support across economic, industrial, commercial, educational, and health sectors, and supporting the Palestinian Authority budget. It also revived the USD 100 million monthly Arab safety net pledged by the 2014 Kuwait Summit and demanded an end to the Israeli seizure of Palestinian tax revenues.
It denounced Israel’s legal suit seeking 4.5 billion NIS (~USD 1.2 billion) in compensation from the Palestinian Authority and PLO, and condemned Israel’s transformation of Gaza into a famine zone using starvation as a weapon—calling for immediate international action to end the aggression, break the siege, ensure humanitarian and medical aid access, and enforce international accountability.
It welcomed a 28-country joint foreign ministerial statement in July 2025 calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, condemnation of genocide actions, accountability of perpetrators, imposition of sanctions, and full recognition of Palestine as a fundamental step.
The conference welcomed the UN high-level international meeting on Palestinian peace settlement, co‑hosted by Saudi Arabia and France under UN auspices on July 28, 2025, in New York—calling it an important success of Arab diplomacy toward implementing UN decisions, the two‑state solution, and recognition of Palestine.
It stated this event provides a decisive opportunity for UN member states to chart an irreversible path toward a two‑state solution, and urged all parties to ensure its success.
The conference warned of serious consequences from Israel’s decision to assert “ Israeli control” over the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron—transferring administrative control from Hebron Municipality to the extremist settler religious council of Kiryat Arba—calling this unprecedented racist measure aimed at Judaizing the site and altering its identity. It urged UNESCO and the international community to intervene immediately.
It condemned Israel’s March 2025 announcement of a "voluntary departure" agency aimed at displacing Palestinians from Gaza, and condemned the aid distribution mechanism led by the so‑called “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation”—viewing both as gross violations of humanitarian and international law.
It denounced the Israeli plan to build a “humanitarian city” in Rafah—tantamount to mass detention camps extending genocidal crimes—and affirmed that these moves aim to displace Palestinians forcibly. It demanded international accountability, formation of an investigative commission, and bringing Israeli leadership to justice.
It welcomed the joint emergency humanitarian appeal issued by the Arab League, African Union, Islamic Cooperation Organization, and UNRWA on July 2, 2025, as a clear expression of those organizations’ responsibilities toward protecting Palestinians from genocide and starvation, ongoing for 21 months.
It condemned Israel’s refusal to allow a ministerial delegation from the Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit Committee to enter Palestine and meet with President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem on May 31, 2025, calling the decision a flagrant violation of international law and acid test of occupation denial of collaboration.
It condemned Israeli forces’ interception of the solidarity vessel Madeline in international waters in June 2025 and its seizure at an Israeli port, calling it a blatant violation of international law. It demanded an end to the illegal blockade and support for direct humanitarian aid delivery, with full accountability for Israeli forces.
It welcomed the formation of a “Hague Group” by nine nations—including South Africa, Malaysia, Colombia, Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Namibia, Senegal, and Belize—to promote Palestinian self‑determination, end the occupation, hold Israeli law breakers to account, and block maritime arms deliveries to Israel.
It urged all states to take effective measures to end Israeli occupation and remove obstacles to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
It lauded a UN Human Rights Council report (June 16–July 11, 2025) titled “From the Economy of Occupation to the Economy of Genocide,” which listed 45 companies that facilitate Israeli crimes, calling on member states to follow up actions at the national level.
It welcomed the Norwegian Government Pension Fund’s announcement in early July 2025 of blacklisting manufacturers supplying the Israeli army, used in the genocide against Gaza—encouraging international companies to scrutinize their partnerships to avoid complicity.
It praised parliamentary delegations at the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union in Tashkent in April 2025 for rejecting an Israeli-sponsored emergency motion seeking parliamentary support worldwide for Palestinian displacement—considering the rejection a deterrent move highlighting Israel’s isolation and global opposition to forced displacement.
It approved an IPU resolution endorsing the two‑state solution, recognizing Palestinians’ right to self‑determination, and recalling the ICJ advisory opinion on the illegality of Israeli occupation.
It condemned Israel’s cancellation of visas for 27 French MPs and officials in April 2025 and preventing a French delegation (~50 local officials) in early May 2025 from visiting Palestinian cities under “Palestine Year 2025,” viewing it as suppression of international solidarity.
It denounced Israeli forces firing on a diplomatic delegation of Arab and foreign ambassadors visiting Jenin Camp on May 21, 2025, to assess the humanitarian situation, and Israel’s July 21, 2025 denial of visa renewal for the UN OCHA humanitarian coordinator—seeing these moves as attempts to conceal grave violations of international and humanitarian law.
It welcomed Chile’s May 2025 decision to withdraw military attachés from its embassy in Israel due to disproportionate military operations against Palestinians—seen as significant diplomatic pressure on Israel to cease aggression and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The conference reaffirmed its call for the international community, especially the Security Council, to act decisively to halt Israeli aggression, forced displacement, colonization, and starvation, and to support efforts to implement the two‑state solution.
It expressed appreciation for increasing European calls in May 2025 to impose sanctions on occupation authorities, suspend partnership agreements with the EU, and commit to further measures if Israel fails to cease its aggression or allow humanitarian access.
It urged all UN member states to align with this growing stance to end occupation-related crimes in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and genocidal war in Gaza, and to end Palestinian suffering.
It welcomed the June 2, 2025 ILO Conference of Labour Ministers decision raising Palestine’s status from a national liberation movement to an ILO observer state and authorizing the Palestinian flag to be flown at ILO headquarters—joins similar recognition in UNESCO and WHO on May 26, 2025—seeing this as mounting international support for Palestinian rights.
It also lauded the Barcelona City Council’s May 30, 2025 decision to sever institutional ties with Israel and suspend its 1998 twinning agreement with Tel Aviv, calling on other cities and countries to follow suit as leverage to end Israeli violations.
It applauded the Maldives' April 2025 parliamentary decision banning entry for Israeli passport holders—reflecting moral solidarity with Palestinian rights and urging other states to replicate this stance to reinforce Israel’s international isolation.
It welcomed UNESCO World Heritage Committee’s unanimous adoption on July 9, 2025 of four resolutions protecting Palestinian heritage sites at risk: the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls; Hebron’s Old City; Gaza’s St. Hilarion Monastery; and Battir (land of olives and vineyards). These decisions call on Israel, as the occupying power, to cease actions that threaten the safety, integrity, and values of these sites, and to comply with relevant international treaties, especially the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
The conference recommended that ALECSO direct the Arab Institute for Research and Studies to conduct a media-coverage research project analyzing UNRWA’s role and public portrayal in Palestine.
It adopted the recommendations of the 91st Council for Palestinian Education Affairs (held on July 17, 2025), and confirmed that the next (114th) conference will take place at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, with dates to be announced later
