Saudi FM: Israeli policies undermine peace and fuel extremism
NEW YORK — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan warned on Monday that peace and security cannot be achieved through the denial of rights or by imposing a reality through force, stressing that Israel's current policies undermine regional stability, erode prospects for peace, and foster a climate of violence and extremism.
In a speech delivered during the second session of the high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the two-state solution — co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France at the United Nations headquarters in New York — Prince Faisal outlined the Kingdom's position amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
'This conference convenes under continued escalation and grave violations against thousands of civilians, including starvation, bombardment, and forced displacement,' he said, adding that Israel's systematic obstruction of aid efforts has deepened suffering in Gaza.
He also highlighted continued Israeli violations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including arbitrary restrictions, aggressive settlement expansion, and deliberate attempts to alter the religious and demographic character of the area.
Prince Faisal praised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for his 'genuine commitment to peace' and voiced strong support for the reform efforts led by Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa's government.
'These efforts deserve international recognition and support,' he said, urging the global community to help empower Palestinian institutions and strengthen the capacity of the Palestinian people.
'The Kingdom believes that peace cannot be built without economically and developmentally empowering the Palestinian people,' Prince Faisal continued.
He noted that Saudi Arabia is working with the Palestinian Authority to expand cooperation in education, human capital development, digital transformation, and partnerships with the private sector to support comprehensive and sustainable Palestinian development.
He also welcomed the World Bank Group's recent decision to allocate an annual $300 million grant to the trust fund for Gaza and the West Bank, aimed at enhancing Palestinian resilience and supporting development and stability efforts.
Prince Faisal reaffirmed that Saudi Arabia has consistently worked to realize the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, describing this as the cornerstone for any just and lasting peace.
He also welcomed France's announcement to recognize the State of Palestine, describing it as a responsible and meaningful step, and called on other countries to follow suit.
'The Kingdom urges the international community to engage in an irreversible and credible process to end the occupation and achieve security and peace for all peoples in the region,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
17 minutes ago
- Leaders
France Launches Humanitarian Airdrop Operation for Gaza amid Starvation Crisis
France began airdropping 40 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Friday and urged Israel to allow full access to the area amid a worsening starvation crisis, according to Reuters. 'Faced with the absolute urgency, we have just conducted a food airdrop operation in Gaza. Thank you to our Jordanian, Emirati, and German partners for their support, and to our military personnel for their commitment,' President Emmanuel Macron wrote on social media platform X. Macron also noted that a irdrops are not enough. Thus, Israel must allow full humanitarian access to encounter the risk of famine in the Palestinian enclave. Moreover, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot earlier in the day had told broadcaster franceinfo that France was sending four flights carrying 10 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza from Jordan. Meanwhile, Macron's office mentioned that France took part six times in the European humanitarian airlift —launched by the EU in mid-October 2023— to deliver aid to Gaza via Jordan and Egypt. Last week, Emmanuel Macron announced his plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September. Spain Airdrops Aid into Gaza On Monday, Spain also announced it would airlift 12 tons of food into Gaza this week as the starvation crisis is worsening in the Palestinian enclave after 21 months of war, according to Al Arabiya. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, one of the outspoken critics of Israel's genocide in Gaza, told a news conference the aid delivery would take place from Jordan on Friday through Spanish air force planes. 'The famine in Gaza is a shame for all of humanity and stopping it, therefore, is a moral imperative,' Sanchez said. Regional Relief Efforts On Sunday, the Royal Jordanian Air Force and UAE Air Force C-130 aircraft successfully carried out three humanitarian airdrops full of food and basic necessities amid the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Dozens of Gazans including children have lost their souls due to malnutrition throughout the 21 months of war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Related Topics: Spain to Airdrop 12 Tons of Food into Gaza, Joining Regional Relief Effort UAE, Jordan Airlift Humanitarian Airdrops over Gaza amid Starvation Crisis Germany Says Israel Faces Increasing Diplomatic Isolation over Gaza War Short link : Post Views: 7
Leaders
17 minutes ago
- Leaders
Finland's President Open to Recognizing Palestinian State
Finland's President Alexander Stubb stated that he is prepared to approve a recognition of a Palestinian state if the government decides to move forward with the proposal, according to AFP. Finland Moves Closer to Recognizing Palestinian State The statement comes at a crucial time as several countries, such as France, Canada as well as Malta have announced their plans to recognize a Palestinian state alongside the 80th UN General Assembly in September. 'The decisions by France, the United Kingdom and Canada reinforce the trend towards recognizing Palestine as part of efforts to breathe new life into the peace process,' Stubb said in a post to X Thursday. While the Finnish President holds limited executive powers, the role includes coordinating the country's foreign policy in close collaboration with the government. 'If I receive a proposal to recognize the Palestinian state, I am prepared to approve it,' Stubb said, deploring an 'inhumane' situation in Gaza. That is why Stubb noted that he understood that Finns had 'different opinions on the recognition of Palestine, and that there is also concern.' Therefore, he calls for an 'open' and 'honest' debate. The far-right Finns Party and the Christian Democrats have voiced opposition to the recognition of a Palestinian state. France, Canada, Malta Pledge to Recognize Palestinian State Last week, the French President unveiled his intension to recognize the Palestinian state at the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations in September. Moreover, Malta has announced it will officially recognize the State of Palestine this coming September, joining an increasing number of countries such as France and the United Kingdom amid worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. 'Malta has consistently supported the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. As responsible international actors, we must help turn the two-state solution from a concept into a reality,' Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary at Malta's Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, said. At the same time, Canada also revealed plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September as international pressure on Israel is surging over the ongoing starvation crisis in the Palestinian enclave. 'Canada intends to recognize the state of Palestine at the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations,' Carney told reporters. Related Topics: Malta to Officially Recognize State of Palestine in Sept. Canada to Recognize Palestinian State at UN, Sparking US, Israeli Backlash France to Recognize Palestinian State, Sparking Outrage from US, Israel Short link : Post Views: 6
Arab News
17 minutes ago
- Arab News
A settler accused of killing a Palestinian activist is to be freed, as Israel still holds the body
TEL AVIV: An Israeli settler accused of killing a prominent Palestinian activist during a confrontation captured on video in the occupied West Bank will be released from house arrest, an Israeli court ruled Friday. The video shot by a Palestinian witness shows Yinon Levi brandishing a pistol and tussling with a group of unarmed Palestinians. He can be seen firing two shots, but the video does not show where the bullets hit. Witnesses said one of the shots killed Awdah Hathaleen, an English teacher and father of three, who was uninvolved and was standing nearby. The Israeli military is still holding Hathaleen's body and says it will only be returned if the family agrees to bury him in a nearby city. It said the measure was being taken to 'prevent public disorder.' The confrontation occurred on Monday in the village of Umm Al-Khair, in an area of the West Bank featured in 'No Other Land,' an Oscar-winning documentary about settler violence and life under Israeli military rule. In a court decision obtained by The Associated Press, Judge Havi Toker wrote that there was 'no dispute' that Levi shot his gun in the village that day, but she said he may have been acting in self-defense and that the court could not establish that the shots killed Hathaleen. Israel's military and police did not respond to a request for comment on whether anyone else may have fired shots that day. Multiple calls placed to Levi and his lawyer have not been answered. The judge said Levi did not pose such a danger as to justify his continued house arrest but barred him from contact with the villagers for a month. Levi has been sanctioned by the United States and other Western countries over allegations of past violence toward Palestinians. President Donald Trump lifted the US sanctions on Levi and other radical settlers shortly after returning to office. A total of 18 Palestinians from the village were arrested after the incident. Six remain in detention. Eitay Mack, an Israeli lawyer who has lobbied for sanctions against radical settlers, including Levi, said the court ruling did not come as a surprise. 'Automatically, Palestinian victims are considered suspects, while Jewish suspects are considered victims,' he said. Levi helped establish an settler outpost near Umm Al-Khair that anti-settlement activists say is a bastion for violent settlers who have displaced hundreds since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Palestinians and rights groups have long accused Israeli authorities of turning a blind eye to settler violence, which has surged since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, along with attacks by Palestinians. In a 2024 interview, Levi said he was protecting his own land and denied using violence. Some 70 women in Umm Al-Khair said they were beginning a hunger strike on Friday to call for Hathaleen's body to be returned and for the right of his family to bury him in the village. Israel's military said in a statement to the AP that it would return the body if the family agrees to bury him in the 'nearest authorized cemetery.' Hathaleen, 31, had written and spoke out against settler violence, and had helped produce the Oscar-winning film. Supporters have erected murals in his honor in Rome, held vigils in New York and have held signs bearing his name at anti-war protests in Tel Aviv.
