Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan demanded an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees in the Gaza Strip. Inaugurating the High-level Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Two-State Solution in Riyadh on Wednesday, he emphasized the need for ending the policy of impunity, and activating accountability mechanisms against Israel.

In his speech, Prince Faisal described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic and denounced the complete blockade of northern Gaza. "A genocide is happening in Gaza with the goal of evicting the Palestinian people from their land, which Saudi Arabia rejects. The situation in Gaza is tragic due to the Israeli blockade, and that international condemnations are no longer enough in the face of the suffering of the Palestinian people," the minister affirmed.

Prince Faisal urged the international community to ensure safe humanitarian corridors to provide relief to Gaza. In the backdrop of the escalation of Israeli violence and violations in Palestine and Lebanon, in addition to the expansion of the conflict regionally, he called for a firm stance from the part of the international community to put an end to these violations that undermine the chances of the two-state solution and push towards more instability in the region.

Prince Faisal said that Saudi Arabia affirms its support for the Palestinian Authority and it is time for the international community to work collectively to achieve peace in the region. He said that the situation in Gaza is tragic due to the Israeli blockade, and that international condemnations are no longer enough in the face of the suffering of the Palestinian people.

The Saudi minister emphasized the importance of intensifying international efforts to save the two-state solution and restore security and stability to the region. "The commitment of Saudi Arabia and its regional partners to achieving peace through practical steps and specific timetables aimed at ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state," he said while reaffirming the Kingdom's support for UNRWA and its vital role in providing humanitarian assistance in light of the challenges it faces in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), is among the speakers at the opening session of the meeting. Senior officials and diplomats representing around 90 countries as well as regional and international organizations were taking part in the meeting, which will conclude on Thursday.

Earlier, speaking to reporters, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that Saudi Arabia will do whatever is necessary for enforcing ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and to reach a final solution to the Palestinian issue. He also confirmed his rejection of the genocide carried out by Israel in the Gaza Strip. "Establishment of the Palestine State is the first condition for establishing relations with Israel," he said while pledging full support to the UNRWA.

He said the forthcoming Arab-Islamic follow-up summit will discuss the situation in Lebanon and Gaza. "There are major Western and Eastern countries that have begun to talk in the direction of recognizing the Palestinian state. The High-Level Meeting is the first step among several steps in which 90 countries and international organizations are participating with one goal of establishing the Palestinian state," he said.

Prince Faisal reiterated the recent statement of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman that “establishing a Palestinian state is a condition for Saudi Arabia to move forward to normalize relations with Israel,” while noting that the security of the region is linked to a solution to the Palestinian issue.

The Riyadh meeting is being attended by the Ministerial Contact Group of the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, and the European Union, in addition to Norway.

The meeting aims to gather practical inputs, present them at a high political level, provide an overview of all proposed components under the umbrella of the Global Coalition, and begin practical preparations. The Riyadh meeting will also focus on the work of UNRWA as the largest humanitarian actor in Gaza at present and the backbone of the humanitarian response until the two-state solution is implemented.

During the meeting, the participants will discuss various aspects of the Palestine issue and present a specific timeline for establishing the Palestinian state and the two-state solution on the path to permanent and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

It is noteworthy that Prince Faisal bin Farhan announced the launch of the Global Coalition to Implement the Two-State Solution during a ministerial meeting on September 26. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He stressed then that the war on Gaza has caused a humanitarian catastrophe, alongside the serious violations committed by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank and the threats to Al-Aqsa Mosque, reinforcing policies of occupation and violent extremism.

Meanwhile, Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks with the UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, on the sidelines of the Riyadh meeting. During the meeting, they discussed cooperation between the Kingdom and the UNRWA as well as the developments in the Gaza Strip, their humanitarian repercussions, and the efforts made to address the problem.