UPDATE - 15th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation starts with message of support for Palestine

UPDATES WITH DETAILS, OPENING MESSAGE; CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE

By Gokhan Kavak and Adam Abu-bashal

The 15th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) started on Saturday in the Gambian capital Banjul with a message of support for Palestine.

In the opening speech, Gambian President Adama Barrow, who hosted the summit, gave a message of support for Palestine.

Underlining that a solution must be found for Israel's attacks in Palestine, Barrow said this process has caused endless human destruction for more than 75 years.

The situation of the Palestinians is a source of great concern not only for the Muslim community but for the whole world, he added.

Barrow stressed that the ongoing violence and instability in the region and the humanitarian crises in Gaza seriously threaten regional stability and global peace.

A peace conference should be held for a solution in Palestine, he said.

Military intervention is not an option, Barrow noted, supporting peace and a two-state solution.

Barrow also praised South Africa’s genocidal case against Israel, and said they stand in solidarity with South Africa and those who demand justice and responsibility, and support the search for justice for the victims of the atrocities committed by Israel.

OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha thanked Gambia for hosting the summit and stressed the importance of the OIC in terms of developing coordination and cooperation among Islamic countries.

Taha touched on issues related to Kashmir, Yemen, and Sudan and emphasized that efforts should be made to ensure peace and stability in the Islamic world.

World leaders from the 57 member countries of the OIC and beyond are expected to attend, said the OIC in a statement ahead of the summit. Representing Türkiye at the event is Hakan Fidan, the country's foreign minister.

It added that the summit aims to strengthen unity “in collectively addressing the pressing challenges facing the Ummah (Muslim community) and expanding cooperation and solidarity among member countries in the pursuit of our shared goals as enshrined in the charter.”

The OIC added that the summit also aims to “expand our domestic economy and revitalize small and medium enterprises,” in addition to “taking the opportunity to share the wealth of Gambian and African culture with the world.”

The summit, taking place through Sunday with the central theme "Enhancing unity and solidarity through dialogue for sustainable development," will address global issues, notably the current situation in Palestine and the ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 34,000 people.

During the summit, three key documents -- a draft Palestinian resolution, a draft Banjul statement, and the draft final document -- will be presented to the Council of Foreign Ministers and subsequently to the summit for discussion.​​​​​​​

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi and Gozde Bayar