SRINAGAR: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the world’s second-largest intergovernmental body after the United Nations, adopted a sweeping declaration at the close of its 51st Council of Foreign Ministers’ session in Istanbul on Saturday, with strong positions on Palestine, Islamophobia, and regional stability, according to the decalaration that the oragmisation posted on its website.
Meeting under the theme “The OIC in a Transforming World,” the two-day summit, hosted by Türkiye, saw Foreign Ministers and delegates from across the Islamic world reaffirm their commitment to the OIC’s foundational goals of unity, solidarity, and advocacy for Muslim causes.
At the centre of the Istanbul Declaration is a forceful reiteration of support for Palestine. The OIC condemned what it called an ongoing 19-month “campaign of genocide” by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank, and backed the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2735. The group endorsed a permanent ceasefire and called for the urgent convening of a long-promised UN High-Level Conference on Palestine, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
The declaration strongly rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians and accused Israel of targeting civilian infrastructure to render life untenable in Gaza. The OIC voiced full support for UNRWA and endorsed an Arab-Islamic plan for Gaza’s early reconstruction. It also criticised Israeli efforts to alter the Islamic and Arab character of Jerusalem, affirming the sanctity and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
In a rare show of collective condemnation, the declaration also denounced Israeli attacks on Iran, Syria and Lebanon as violations of sovereignty, and announced the formation of a ministerial contact group to support de-escalation in the region. Israel’s actions were described as a threat to regional and environmental security.
On the global front, the declaration tackled Islamophobia, calling it a “growing form of racism and discrimination.” Member states urged stronger action against hate speech, religious defamation, and the stigmatisation of Muslims worldwide. The OIC reiterated that terrorism cannot be linked to any religion, ethnicity or nationality.
The body praised recent diplomatic progress between Azerbaijan and Armenia and urged Yerevan to resolve outstanding legal and political obstacles to a peace agreement. It also reaffirmed support for Azerbaijan’s reconstruction and demining efforts in territories retaken from Armenian control.
Other highlights of the declaration included support for the Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar, concern over instability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and solidarity with Turkish Muslim communities in Greece and Cyprus. The declaration welcomed Syria’s reintegration efforts and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites.
Looking ahead, the OIC announced that its next Islamic Summit Conference will be held in Azerbaijan in 2026, and stressed the need to bolster its own role amid shifting global power balances and weakening multilateral institutions.
