Saudi Gazette Report

MANAMA — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that the Israeli occupation forces’ ongoing aggression and violation of all international laws and norms in the Gaza Strip has exacerbated the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe and weakened the credibility of the rules of the international law and its institutions.

He made the remarks while chairing the meeting of the Arab foreign ministers, preparatory for the 33rd Summit of the Arab League, which will be held in Manama, Bahrain on Thursday.

Prince Faisal said that the worsening situation in Gaza has exposed the complete inability of international institutions to maintain world peace and security in the absence of international accountability measures.

In his speech, Prince Faisal emphasized the Kingdom’s insistence on the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, ensuring adequate and continuous delivery of aid and finding a credible and irreversible path to a two-state solution. He also underscored that the Palestinian people must obtain their inherent right to self-determination and establish their independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, under the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy.

Prince Faisal stressed that Saudi Arabia has worked since the start of the unprecedented attacks on the Palestinian people, in cooperation with friendly countries, to exert all efforts in mobilizing international support to stop the brutal Israeli attacks and limit the repercussions of the crisis and its expansion. He drew attention to the Kingdom’s hosting of the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit and its participation along with the friendly countries in the ministerial follow-up committee that echoed to most influential capital cities and international organizations to convey a unified position supporting the Palestinian people.

The Saudi minister reiterated the Kingdom’s keenness during its presidency of the previous summit to elevate joint Arab action and enhance coordination among all member states towards developing an effective collective action to address the most important regional and international challenges, especially the Palestinian issue. “This confirms the Kingdom’s firm principles in defending Arab causes and realizing the aspirations of the leaders and peoples of Arab countries for peace, stability, and development,” he said.

Prince Faisal reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts and full support for achieving peace in Yemen. He emphasized the importance of reaching a comprehensive political solution through dialogue and consultation between the Yemeni parties. This approach will enable the commencement of the development and economic recovery process. Additionally, the minister stressed the Kingdom’s commitment to preserving the security and safety of the Red Sea region, ensuring freedom of navigation, and preventing further crises in the region.

Regarding Sudan, he expressed the Kingdom’s deep concern over the continued military operations and the resulting humanitarian suffering. He reiterated the Kingdom’s call for a return to dialogue to reach a political solution that spares the Sudanese brothers from the horrors of war and that the solution to the Sudanese crisis is a Sudanese-Sudanese political solution that respects the sovereignty and unity of Sudan and its national institutions.

Prince Faisal highlighted the resumption of the Syrian delegation’s participation in the 32nd Arab Summit, emphasizing the importance of achieving security and stability in Syria, respecting its sovereignty, territorial unity, and Arab identity. He also emphasized the efforts to facilitate the voluntary and safe return of refugees and combat terrorist organizations, armed militias, and drug smuggling.

The foreign minister pledged the Kingdom’s support for the Lebanese people and urged all Lebanese parties to prioritize the public interest by implementing comprehensive political and economic reforms to overcome the country’s crises.

The minister also reiterated the Kingdom’s call for security and stability in Libya, emphasizing the importance of ensuring its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and ending interference in its internal affairs. He also expressed the Kingdom’s hope for a future of security and stability in Somalia.

During the meeting, the Arab foreign ministers are reviewing the draft agenda and draft resolutions for Thursday’s summit.