Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia reminded the UN Security Council of its historical responsibility to prevent further expansion of the conflict in the Mideast region. These remarks were made by Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi in his speech on the second day of the high level meeting of the Global Alliance for Implementation of the Two-State Solution in Riyadh on Thursday. Several senior officials from other countries and international organizations are taking part in the two-day meeting, which began on Wednesday.

Dr. Al-Rassi emphasized the significance of the first meeting of the Global Alliance convened at a time when the Palestinian people are enduring ongoing suffering due to Israeli aggression and the widespread destruction inflicted by Israeli war machine upon people and places alike. He highlighted the audacity of the occupying state in violating international law and international humanitarian law, as well as the international community’s failure to halt and deter Israeli aggression. "This includes the Security Council’s historical responsibility to uphold the ethical and legal rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to initiate a serious process for a comprehensive peace, preventing the further expansion of conflict in the region," he said.

Dr. Al-Rassi underscored the importance of engaging participating countries in fostering a multilateral political path to achieve peace based on the two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation. Grounded in the principles of international law, UN resolutions, the peace process frameworks, and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative under the “land-for-peace” principle, this seeks to end the suffering of the Palestinian people that has spanned for eight decades, enabling them to live in freedom and dignity in their independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Dr. Al-Rassi renewed the Kingdom’s call for all peace-loving countries to join this alliance while also appreciating recent decisions by several friendly countries to recognize the State of Palestine. He urged other nations to expedite this decision, as it bolsters Palestinian rights and accelerates the realization of the two-state solution and peace.“The continuation of the occupying power’s crimes against the Palestinian people will only widen the conflict and further endanger regional and global security and stability,” he said.

Dr. Al-Rassi called on the international community, particularly the permanent members of the Security Council, to use their powers to uphold security and peace, compelling Israel to halt its aggression and allow immediate and unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid.

He also expressed the Kingdom’s strongest condemnation of the Israeli Knesset’s decision to ban the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the occupied Palestinian territories, considering it a violation of international law and a dangerous precedent that contravenes member states’ obligations under the UN Charter, undermining the multilateral international system. He emphasized that this latest move by Israel, the occupying state, seeks to dismantle the resilience of the Palestinian people on their land, representing a desperate attempt at forced displacement.

Dr. Al-Rassi reiterated the Kingdom’s absolute rejection of the continued systematic political and military targeting by Israeli occupation authorities of UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, which continuously endangers the lives of their workers. He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for UNRWA's humanitarian mission to assist Palestinian refugees.

The deputy minister also expressed hope for the success of this initiative while highlighting the enthusiasm shown for joining this alliance.