The 3rd South Summit concludes, calls for ending Israel-Palestine conflict
The conclusion of the Third South Summit in Kampala, Uganda on Monday saw participating leaders united in their call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the safeguarding of civilians.
Bringing together leaders from the Group of 77 members and China over two days, the summit urged the United Nations Security Council to swiftly implement resolutions aimed at resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The South Summit, the key decision-making body of the Group of 77 consisting of 134 members, witnessed the presence of high-level representatives from nearly 100 countries and heads of United Nations agencies.
“We also reiterate our demand for the immediate and full lifting of the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, which constitutes massive collective punishment,” the leaders said in an outcome document of the meeting. They called for the complete dismantlement and immediate cessation of all illegal Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
Citing violations of international law and the UN Charter, the leaders denounced Israel’s strikes on Syrian civil infrastructure, including civil airports, emphasizing the threat posed to civilian livelihoods, hindrance to UN humanitarian operations, and risks to civil aviation safety. The leaders further emphasized the imperative for Israel to cease violations of Lebanese sovereignty by air, land, and sea, which were deemed detrimental to both security and economic development.
“We also call on Israel to refrain from using white phosphorus against Lebanon in contravention of international humanitarian law,” the document said. The leaders also emphasized that Israel should withdraw from all occupied Lebanese territories by the UN Security Council resolution.
Under the theme “Leaving No One Behind,” the summit marked a historic moment as Uganda assumed the chairmanship from Cuba. This marked the first time the South Summit was hosted in Africa, with previous editions held in Havana, Cuba (2000), and Doha, Qatar (2005).
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, assuming the chairmanship, pledged the country’s commitment to reaching win-win solutions for countries facing tensions or conflicts and emphasized a focus on promoting trade among member nations.
(With input from Xinhua)
