New york: Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah delivered the Kingdom's speech at the United Nations Headquarters during the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. This conference session, co-chaired by the Kingdom and the French Republic, addressed critical issues concerning the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in the region.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Prince Faisal highlighted the severe challenges faced by civilians due to escalating conflicts, including violations such as starvation, bombing, and displacement in Gaza. He pointed out that these violations have also spread to the West Bank and Jerusalem, where policies are being enforced to change the area's religious and demographic landscape.
Prince Faisal asserted that true security and peace cannot be achieved through the denial of rights or by imposing forceful solutions. He warned that Israeli policies are eroding peace opportunities and fueling violence and extremism, affecting both regional and international stability.
He acknowledged the Palestinian leadership's commitment to peace, lauding President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa for their reform efforts. Prince Faisal urged the international community to support these endeavors by empowering Palestinian national institutions and supporting economic and developmental initiatives.
The minister reiterated the Kingdom's focus on economic and educational cooperation with the Palestinian Authority to facilitate comprehensive development. He welcomed the World Bank Group's decision to provide an annual grant to support the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
Prince Faisal reaffirmed the Kingdom's long-standing efforts, since the Arab Peace Initiative in 2002, to establish a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. He praised France's commitment to recognizing Palestine and called on other nations to join in efforts to achieve lasting peace.
The speech was attended by various Saudi officials, including the Saudi Ambassador to the US, Reema Bandar Al-Saud, and the Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, among others.