The ever-escalating tensions in the Middle East stem from two main reasons, Israel's unjust occupation in Palestine and its countless international law violations in Gaza, the GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi reiterated on Sunday. During his address at the 'European Forum Alpbach 2024' in Austria, Al-Budaiwi called on the international community to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its abhorrent war crimes and international law violations, as he restated the GCC's backing of establishing an independent State of Palestine according to the 1967 borders. Al-Budaiwi renewed the GCC's invitation to hold an international conference with all concerned parties attending to settle this conflict and achieve a permanent ceasefire. The Secretary General pointed to the soaring global challenges and highlighted the significant role of diplomacy and international cooperation to collectively find solutions that ensures global peace and stability. He added that recent initiatives by the GCC aim to create f avorable conditions for smooth negotiations, guided by international law and the UN Charter. Al-Budaiwi affirmed the GCC's ongoing efforts to provide humanitarian aid to affected countries, particularly their efforts in Yemen and Sudan, affirming their commitment to relieve the civilians from the suffering of conflicts. The European Forum Alpbach 2024, organized from 24th to 26th August, 2024, by the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs is part of the UN- Austria initiative on multilateral partnerships. Source: Kuwait News Agency