Saudi Gazette Report

BRUSSELS — Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying that the situation in the besieged strip is critical. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate rapidly and in a completely unacceptable way. The international community agrees on the need of an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages,” he said while addressing a joint press conference with Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in Brussels on Monday.

Prince Faisal stressed that the two-state solution is the foundation for lasting peace and security in the region. He noted that Saudi Arabia has emphasized its commitment to the two-state solution both at the Riyadh meeting held in late April and at the Ministerial Meeting held in Brussels on Sunday. “There are signs of consensus in the international community on the need to secure the rights and safety of the Palestinian people,” he said.

The foreign minister said that the ministerial committee, established by the Joint Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit, aims to address the situation in Gaza and advance the Palestinian cause.

Prince Faisal praised Norway, Spain, and Ireland for recognizing the Palestine State, saying that other European countries are considering taking a similar step. He also highlighted the importance of supporting Palestinian state institutions to demonstrate their capability to carry out responsibilities, including ensuring the security of neighboring states, and stressing the need to abide by international law. “If the international community complies with international law, including humanitarian law, this would signal to Israel that it is not immune from accountability and cannot indefinitely undermine the establishment of a Palestinian state,” he added