Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar on Monday condemned Israel's establishment of an agency aimed at displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and its approval of 13 new settlements in the West Bank.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement said that the so-called "voluntary departure," which Israel claims this agency targets, lacks any basis."
"The departure occurring under bombardment and war, and under policies that prevent humanitarian aid and use starvation as a weapon, constitutes forced displacement, a crime, and a violation under international law and international humanitarian law," read the statement.
Saudi Arabia condemned the Israeli occupation authorities' announcement on the establishment of the agency that aims to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, as well as the approval of the separation of 13 illegal settlement neighborhoods in the West Bank, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Lasting and just peace cannot be achieved without the Palestinian people obtaining their legitimate rights in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to the Saudi statement.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry also hit out on Monday at Israel's policies of displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and expanding settlements, urging the international community to exert pressure on Israel to end its military operations in Gaza.
The Ministry reiterated Qatar's position in supporting the Palestinian people, based on international legitimacy and the two-state solution, to establish an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Israel's Security Cabinet approved the establishment of a controversial new directorate to coordinate the "voluntary relocation" of Palestinians from Gaza to third countries, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The establishment of the new agency came as Israeli forces resumed air and ground offensive across Gaza, effectively ending a two-month ceasefire. Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced again as bombardments intensify.
In February, U.S. President Donald Trump presented a plan to transfer Gaza's Palestinian population to neighboring countries as part of a broader vision to rebuild the war-torn enclave as a "Riviera resort." He later backtracked on the plan following international condemnations.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar slam Israel's plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar slam Israel's plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar slam Israel's plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza
The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) has become more indispensable than ever in today's fast-evolving global landscape, according to Tan Kong Yam, an Emeritus Professor of Economics with the School of Social Sciences, Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.
The Boao Forum for Asia 2025 Annual Conference opened on Tuesday in the town of Boao in south China's Hainan Province.
With the theme "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future", the four-day forum has attracted nearly 2,000 attendees from more than 60 countries and regions to participate in more than 50 events and many bilateral events, according to the press conference.
"We are currently living through an era of profound global changes, marked by rising geopolitical tension, economic fragmentation, the climate crisis and disruptive technological shift all occurring simultaneously. In such a complex environment, dialog platforms like the Boao Forum for Asia has not diminished in importance, rather they have become even more indispensable than ever before," said Tan.
The BFA provides a distinctive Asian perspective for improving global governance, as well as more opportunities for developing countries and Global South countries to voice their opinions, said Tan.
"Boao has a unique positioning as a high-level dialog platform. Centered on Asia, Boao distinguishes itself from other international forums typically dominated by the West. It provides a valuable opportunity for developing countries, especially those in Asia and the Global South, to make their voices heard. Boao Forum is critical for promoting regional cooperation, especially in key areas such as infrastructure, trade, green development and the digital economy. The forum is a platform for soft power. In an increasingly multi-polar world, Boao helps build trust through dialogs," he said.
Tan also highlighted that Chinese economy shows remarkable resilience, marked by advancements across various sectors, including artificial intelligence.
"The overall outlook for China's economy continues to show strong resilience. Key sectors such as the advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and clean energy are receiving robust policy support. The roll-out of the digital renminbi and the development of smart logistics also indicate that China is actively positioning itself for future economic trends. In recent years, China's progress in the field of artificial intelligence has been remarkable. A particular note is the breakthrough achieved by DeepSeek, which stands as a concentrated expression of China's innovation capacity in AI. It is a result of the synergy between China's national technology strategy, vast market scale, institutional advantages and global outreach. It not only signals China's growing global competitiveness in AI, but also position China as a potential driver of the next global productivity revolution," he said.
The BFA was founded in 2001 and offers a platform for dialogue between leaders from government, business, academia and other organizations to discuss economic, social and environmental issues, promote economic cooperation and support the sustainable development of Asia's economy.
Boao Forum more indispensable in current rapidly-changing world: economist
