Organization of Islamic Cooperation – Joint Communiqué on the Threat of Use of Nuclear Weapons by Israel, Letter from Mauritania (A/ES-10/966-S/2023/859)

10 November 2023

Identical letters dated 10 November 2023 from the Permanent Representative of Mauritania to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

In my capacity as the Chair of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, I have the honour to transmit herewith the joint communiqué adopted by the Group of member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in New York on the threat of use of nuclear weapons by Israel on 6 November 2023 (see annex).

I should be grateful if the present letter and its annex would be circulated as a document of the tenth emergency special session of the General Assembly, under agenda item 5, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Sidi Mohamed Laghdaf

Ambassador

Permanent Representative

Annex to the identical letters dated 10 November 2023 from the Permanent Representative of Mauritania to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council

Joint Communiqué by the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on the Threat of Use of Nuclear Weapons by Israel

6 November 2023

We, the member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, compelled to address not only the ongoing Israeli appalling atrocities and gross and systematic violations in the occupied Palestinian territories, but also a recent and additional disturbing development – specifically, the issuance of two nuclear threats by high-ranking Israeli officials within less than two months. The most recent threat was voiced by the Israeli Minister of Heritage against the people of Gaza.

In this context, we strongly condemn these regrettable stances taken by Israel. The OIC views this abhorrent speech as an extension of terrorist racist ideology which calls for the international community’s condemnation and effective measures to stop the military aggression, daily massacre and gross violations of international law that may amount to genocide carried out by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people. Adhering to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and recalling several resolutions by the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly and the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency which underscore the global norm regarding nuclear weapons.

To reaffirm the obligations of Member States under the United Nations Charter and their commitments to the preservation of international peace and security, including as stipulated in Articles 1 (1), 2 (4) and 26 of the United Nations Charter, we want to emphasize the serious threat posed by such irresponsible announcements by the Israeli authorities threatening to use nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, to both regional and international peace and security.

In this context, and while recalling United Nations Security Council resolutions 487 (1981) and 687 (1991), we urge Israel to:

• Cease and refrain from any menacing rhetoric or posturing including involving nuclear threats against any nation across the region
• Accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons without further delay and not to develop, produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons, and to renounce possession of nuclear weapons, and to place all its unsafeguarded nuclear facilities under full-scope Agency safeguards as an important confidence-building measure among all States of the region and as a step towards enhancing peace and security
• Join and fully implement treaties and conventions on weapons of mass destruction
• Last, but not least, engage in constructive dialogue and negotiations aimed at establishing a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, as called for by the international community

The member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation respectfully request that the present communiqué be circulated as an official document of the United Nations Security Council as well as the United Nations General Assembly.