World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder on Friday praised what he called a “welcome moment of moral clarity” as Arab League nations for the first time condemned the October 7 massacre and demanded Hamas disarm and relinquish control of Gaza.
The unprecedented joint declaration by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and the entire Arab League marked the first time the 22-member organization has condemned Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terrorist attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds hostage.
“The recent joint declaration by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey condemning the October 7th terrorist attack is a welcome moment of moral clarity,” Lauder said in his statement. “The call for Hamas to release the hostages, disarm, and end its tyrannical rule over Gaza is both courageous and profoundly necessary.”
The World Jewish Congress leader emphasized that other nations should follow the Arab states’ example, declaring: “The rest of the world should take note and follow their lead in demanding nothing less.”
The seven-page document was signed by all 22 Arab League members, plus the entire European Union and 17 other countries during a United Nations conference focused on reviving the two-state solution. The declaration represents a seismic shift in regional dynamics, with traditional Hamas supporters now publicly calling for the terrorist organization’s dismantlement.
However, Lauder expressed disappointment that the broader conference outcome document failed to include the specific call for Hamas disarmament. “It is deeply disappointing, however, that the final outcome document of the recent ‘High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution’ failed to include this call,” he stated. “The omission is a serious moral failure.”
The World Jewish Congress president highlighted what he sees as the simple path to peace: “The truth is simple: the war could end tomorrow if Hamas were to release the remaining hostages and disarm.”
This development marks a dramatic departure from traditional Arab League positions on the Palestinian conflict. The league includes Qatar, which has provided an estimated $1.8 billion to Hamas since 2012, and Turkey, which was one of only two countries to back Hamas after it ousted the Palestinian Authority from Gaza in 2007, as well as Egypt, which has served as a mediator in talks between Israel and Hamas during the war.
The Arab states’ newfound willingness to directly challenge Hamas represents what many observers see as growing regional frustration with the terrorist organization’s intransigence and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with Qatar and Turkey — both former Hamas backers — now joining calls for its dismantlement.
For Lauder and the World Jewish Congress, the Arab League’s position validates long-standing arguments that Hamas, not Israel, is the primary obstacle to peace. The organization has consistently argued that the terrorist group’s control of Gaza and its commitment to Israel’s destruction make any sustainable peace impossible.
The timing of the declaration is particularly significant, coming as international pressure mounts for a resolution to the Gaza conflict. With major Arab powers now explicitly calling for Hamas’s removal from power, the terrorist organization faces unprecedented isolation in the region.
As diplomatic efforts continue, Lauder’s praise for the Arab states’ “moral clarity” underscores a potential realignment in Middle Eastern politics, where traditional adversaries may find common ground in their desire to end Hamas’s rule and establish lasting peace.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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