Saudi Arabia warns Gaza crisis is closing path to two-state solution
Key Takeaways
- Bin Farhan warned the two-state solution could disappear without immediate international action.
- He called for humanitarian aid, Gaza reconstruction and an end to settlement activity, annexation, displacement and settler violence.
- The Saudi minister said Gaza and the West Bank must remain one geographic and political unit.
Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan urged practical steps on Gaza and the West Bank, warning that the window for establishing two states is narrowing.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan has urged the international community to act immediately to preserve the two-state solution, warning that developments on the ground are reducing the prospects of a viable Palestinian state.
Speaking at a ministerial meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in New York on Thursday, Bin Farhan said the opportunity for action was narrowing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the choice before us is clear. Preserve the two-state solution or watch it disappear on the ground. The window is narrowing, but it has not closed. And that is why we must act now," Bin Farhan told the meeting.
The gathering was convened by Saudi Arabia, Norway and the European Union, in coordination with France, during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
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"Our focus is on action, practical steps that protect the two-state solution on the ground and move it towards implementation," the minister stressed.
Bin Farhan pointed to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and violence and violations in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, as threats to the prospects of a Palestinian state.
"The urgency is undeniable," he declared.
The Saudi diplomat called for the Gaza ceasefire to be consolidated and for immediate and unhindered humanitarian assistance. He also backed reconstruction in line with US President Donald Trump's comprehensive peace plan and UN Security Council Resolution 2803.
Other priorities included supporting the Palestinian Authority's return to Gaza and stopping settlement activity, annexation, displacement and settler violence.
"Gaza cannot be separated from the West Bank. Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are one geographic and political unit. There can be no separate political future for Gaza," Bin Farhan emphasised.
He also called for action against hate speech, incitement and the use of religion to justify violence, supremacy and racism.
"Those who incite or perpetrate violence must be held accountable. There can be no lasting peace without accountability," he added.
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Bin Farhan said security for Palestinians and Israelis could only be achieved through a political settlement that leads to wider regional peace and integration.
"Our objective is not simply to manage the conflict. It is to end it," the Saudi minister stated.
He concluded: "One Palestine, two states, a region at peace."
The UN General Assembly session opened on September 8, with the general debate running from September 22 to 28 under the theme "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All."
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
