Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Mohamed Albudaiwi has condemned the racist statements of the Israeli Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, which called for the destruction of the Palestinian village of Hawara. The Secretary General stressed the need to confront hate speech and violence, stressing the importance of promoting the values of tolerance and human coexistence within the efforts exerted to reduce escalation and instability caused by the Israeli occupation forces in the region. Furthermore, the Secretary General affirmed the firm stances of the GCC states towards the Palestinian issue which is the first issue of Arabs and Muslims, reiterating support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Moreover, he underscored the need to support all regional and international efforts to advance the peace process in the Middle East, and to put an end to illegal practices that threaten the two-state solution in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the resolutions of international legitimacy.
