Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan underlined the need to take all necessary measures to break the blockade on Gaza and ensure unhindered access of humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.

Addressing the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held at its headquarters in Jeddah on Monday, Prince Faisal said that the Palestinian people at present are subjected to the most heinous forms of oppression and unprecedented genocide as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression, in a blatant violation of the international law. The OIC meeting convened to discuss the repercussions of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.

The foreign minister reiterated the Kingdom's condemnation of the recent statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the so-called "Greater Israel Vision." Prince Faisal urged the international community to end the crimes of the occupation and prevent Israel from pursuing its aggressive policies, including attempts to occupy Gaza City and impose more settlement projects in the occupied territories. He pointed out that ongoing violations obstruct any path to peace and fuel further unrest regionally and internationally.

The minister emphasized Saudi Arabia's steadfast position on the Palestinian issue, affirming its full support for the Palestinians' right to establish their independent state on the June 4, 1967, borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. He underlined the importance of moving forward with the implementation of the two-state solution as the just and only option for achieving stability.

Prince Faisal pointed out that Israel's continued perpetration of crimes against civilians, with impunity, undermines the foundations of international peace and security. He called on countries that remain hesitant to condemn these practices to reconsider their positions. Prince Faisal emphasized that there has been a constant increase in the number of countries that have decided to recognize the Palestinian state, saying that this shows the growing international conviction in the justness of the cause.

The Saudi minister also called for providing support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other humanitarian agencies to ensure the unhindered delivery of urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. He also underlined the need for supporting the Palestinian Authority in its reform process and consolidating its role as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

The Gaza Strip has been under siege since October 2023, with Israel preventing the entry of aid and relief trucks sufficient to meet the needs of the people of Gaza. The United Nations and other international bodies have criticized this, terming it Israel's "starvation policy" on Gaza.