The United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have issued a joint assertion, highlighting shared priorities and finding frequent ground on varied points. This follows US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s attendance at a GCC meeting throughout his latest visit to Saudi Arabia.
The assertion emphasises the US’s “enduring commitment” to the Gulf area, despite issues about its diminishing influence in the Middle East. The doc addresses quite a few regional and global crises, including the Israeli-Palestinian battle, Arab-Israeli normalisation, and the state of affairs in Syria.
The joint communique requires a two-state answer to the Israeli-Palestinian battle “along 1967 borders with mutually agreed swaps consistent with internationally recognized parameters and the Arab Peace Initiative”. This would result in a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. The Arab Peace Initiative, endorsed by the Arab League in 2002, makes the Arab states’ recognition of Israel conditional on ending the occupation of Arab territories and finding a “fair solution” to the Palestinian refugee problem.
The statement also welcomes the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, showing unambiguous assist for the Chinese-brokered deal that saw both nations resume diplomatic relations. Furthermore, Extraordinary and the GCC appear to have found consensus on Syria, supporting a political decision to the disaster that preserves Syria’s unity consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2254..