THE Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has blamed Israel for the attack that killed Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh last week in Iran, which has vowed to retaliate.
A statement issued after an extraordinary meeting of the 57-member bloc on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia said it “holds Israel, the illegal occupying power, fully responsible for this heinous attack”, which it described as “a serious infringement” of Iran’s sovereignty.
The Gambia’s Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara, whose country chairs OIC, said Haniyeh’s “heinous” assassination and the ongoing war in Gaza could lead to a regional conflict.
“The aggression and violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the assassination of a political leader on its soil is an act that cannot be viewed in isolation,” Tangara said.
“This heinous act serves only to escalate the existing tensions potentially leading to a wider conflict that could involve the entire region.”
Iran and Palestine had called for the OIC meeting in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah. The bloc describes itself as the collective voice of the Muslim world.
Host Saudi Arabia also said Haniyeh’s assassination was a “blatant violation” of Iran’s sovereignty.
The kingdom’s deputy foreign minister, Waleed al-Khereiji, said his country rejects “any violation of the sovereignty of states or interference in the internal affairs of any country”.
Hamas and Iran have blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s killing in Tehran last week, but the Israeli government has not confirmed or denied responsibility.
Iran has promised to retaliate, threatening “harsh punishment” for Israel. But the United States and other Western countries have been calling for de-escalation.
On Wednesday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said several OIC members agree with Washington that escalation would only exacerbate the continuing crises in the region.
