ISTANBUL

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Israel’s actions are “destabilizing” the entire region, calling for Tel Aviv to be held accountable and for sanctions to be imposed over violations it commits in countries across the region, particularly in Palestine.

His remarks came during a speech at the opening of the 17th edition of the Al Jazeera Forum, held in the Qatari capital Doha from Feb. 7 to 9 under the theme “The Palestinian Cause and the Regional Balance of Power in the Context of an Emerging Multipolar World.”

Araghchi said that the Palestinian cause “is the defining question of justice in West Asia and beyond. It is the strategic and moral compass of our region. It is a test of whether international law has meaning.”

What is being carried out against Palestinians represents a “moral failure” on the part of everyone who watches and accepts these Israeli violations, he added.

He said: “What we are witnessing in Gaza is not merely war; it is not a conflict between equal parties… It is the deliberate destruction of civilian life on a massive scale. It is genocide.”

Araghchi warned: “If the Gaza issue is settled through destruction and forced displacement, if that becomes the model, then the West Bank will be the next. Annexation will become policy.”

The Iranian foreign minister stressed that “Israel's expansionist project has had a direct and destabilizing impact on the security of all countries in the region.”

He called for Israel to be held accountable for its violations and for sanctions to be imposed against it.

Araghchi also said the international community must end the “Israeli occupation” and work toward establishing a Palestinian state.”

He stressed the need for the Arab and Islamic worlds to act to prevent “the region from being reshaped by force.”

​​​​​​​*Writing by Rania Abushamala