Saudi Foreign Minister Calls for Two-State Solution, Warns of Consequences in Gaza

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on the developments in the Gaza Strip, held in Riyadh. The meeting was attended by foreign ministers from Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey, as well as the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

During the meeting, Prince Faisal emphasized the necessity of ending the war on the Gaza Strip, reaching an immediate and complete ceasefire, ensuring the protection of civilians, and lifting restrictions on humanitarian aid. He warned of the serious consequences of Israeli military expansion in Gaza, particularly in the Palestinian city of Rafah, which could displace hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

Why this matters: The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with the international community failing to implement a credible and long-term solution. The Saudi foreign minister calls enduring rights path to peace and warning about the consequences of Israeli military action highlight the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to end the violence and protect civilian lives.

The attendees stressed their support for efforts to ensure international recognition of Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. They underscored the importance of taking steps to implement the two-state solution and rejected any attempts to displace the Palestinian people or conduct military operations in Rafah.

Prince Faisal described the situation catastrophic foreign minister says in Gaza as "catastrophic by every measure" and criticized the failure of the international security mechanism to address the crisis. He reiterated Saudi Arabia's commitment to the two-state solution as the only reasonable and credible path towards a Palestinian state, stating that "granting Palestinians their rights is the only solution that can ensure stability, rights, security, and peace for all."

The meeting also called on the international community to impose officials call effective sanctions war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The officials expressed concern over measures taken against peaceful demonstrators in Western countries who are protesting the Israeli actions.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel. Egypt has also stepped up its own mediation efforts, working on a compromise solution to address the main concerns of both parties. However, Qatar has expressed frustration with the negotiations, accusing both sides of sabotaging the talks.

Prince Faisal emphasized that Saudi Arabia will do everything it can to push for a resolution to the conflict. He called on the international community, especially influential countries and the UN Security Council, to take concrete steps to implement the two-state solution and move from talk to action. "The international community, especially countries with the most influence and the UN Security Council, need to take concrete steps to implement this solution," he stated.

Key Takeaways

• Saudi FM chaired meeting on Gaza crisis with regional counterparts.
• Calls for ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and protection of civilians in Gaza.
• Supports recognition of Palestinian state within 1967 borders, East Jerusalem as capital.
• Urges international community to impose sanctions for war crimes in Gaza, West Bank.
• US, Egypt mediating ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel, Qatar expresses frustration.