UAE to UN: Mere containment of Gaza conflict no longer acceptable
In a session led by Saudi Arabia and France, the UAE issued a strong call for urgent international action to end the ongoing violence and secure a lasting peace through a two-state solution.
Speaking on behalf of the UAE, Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar highlighted the growing international consensus in favor of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the two-state framework, pointing to recent announcements by France and the UK as key momentum-builders.
The translator for Al Marar stated as follows:
Al Marar stressed that while the path to peace remains critical, it must not distract from the urgent humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the escalating violence in the West Bank, including actions by Israeli settlers and extremist groups targeting Palestinian communities.
'The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached an unprecedented critical stage that requires everyone to stand together to stop this catastrophe,' he said.
In response, the UAE has ramped up its aid operations, delivering relief by land, air and sea, including aerial drops into Gaza and pledged to continue these efforts. But aid alone, Al Marar emphasized, is not enough.
The UAE called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and prisoners, and a renewed international push to stop the war and create conditions for long-term peace.
To achieve this, the UAE outlined four key pillars.
First, the need to support a serious, UN-sponsored negotiation process, reaffirming that a two-state solution is the only realistic path forward.
Second, to establish a timeline and irreversible plan for a sovereign Palestinian state, living side by side in peace and security with Israel.
Third, to ensure a strong and capable Palestinian authority that upholds the rule of law, security and stability and is committed to combating extremism.
Finally, to coordinate efforts to counter terrorism, break cycles of violence and support development, prosperity and peaceful coexistence across the region.
Concluding his remarks, Al Marar warned that every day without progress widens the gap to peace, but affirmed that the groundwork laid by this conference offers a clear path forward.
'All we need now is the political courage to move towards peace as the optimal strategic option,' he said.
After 21 months since the start of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, it is time to move from mere attempts to contain the conflict to addressing its root causes.
At the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Issue and the Implementation… https://t.co/F5fMcsb11J pic.twitter.com/RtKYLMPeYT
— UAE Mission to the UN (@UAEMissionToUN) July 30, 2025
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