Foreign Minister Delivers the Kingdom's Speech at International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution

Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah delivered the Kingdom’s speech at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, during the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. The speech was delivered during the second session of the conference, which the Kingdom is co-chairing with the French Republic.
 Prince Faisal stated that this conference is being held amidst the continuing escalation and the exposure of thousands of civilians to the most horrific forms of gross violations, including starvation, bombing, and displacement, as well as the systematic undermining of all international efforts to deliver aid and alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza.
 He emphasized that Israeli violations have extended to the West Bank and Jerusalem, where arbitrary restrictions, settlement policies, and systematic practices are imposed that aim to alter the religious and demographic character.
 He stressed that security and peace cannot be achieved through the denial of rights or the imposition of a fait accompli by force. He added that such Israeli policies lead to the absence of stability, the erosion of peace opportunities, and the fostering of an environment of violence and extremism, threatening both regional and international security.
 Prince Faisal also expressed the Kingdom's appreciation for the sincere commitment to peace expressed by President Mahmoud Abbas and the serious reform efforts led by the Palestinian government headed by Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, efforts that deserve support and appreciation. He called for concerted efforts by the international community to support the Palestinian people in building their capacities and empowering their national institutions by supporting the Palestinian National Authority and its reform measures.
 Prince Faisal said: "The Kingdom believes that peace cannot be built without empowering the Palestinian people economically and developmentally. From this standpoint, the Kingdom is working to strengthen its cooperation with the Palestinian Authority in the fields of education, human capacity development, digital transformation support, and cooperation with the private sector to enable the Palestinian economy to advance and achieve comprehensive and sustainable development."
 He also expressed the Kingdom's welcome of the World Bank Group's decision to provide Palestine with an annual grant of approximately $300million to the Trust Fund for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, to enhance the Palestinians' ability to confront challenges and achieve development and stability.
 He noted that since the adoption of the Arab Peace Initiative in 2002, the Kingdom has been making continuous efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, as the fundamental pillar for achieving just, comprehensive peace and sustainable security in the region. He expressed the Kingdom's appreciation for the French Republic's determination to recognize the State of Palestine, which reflects its commitment to supporting the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. Prince Faisal called on other countries to take this responsible step and engage in a credible and irreversible process to end the occupation and achieve security and peace for all peoples of the region.
 The speech was attended by Saudi Ambassador to the US Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Advisor to the foreign minister for Political Affairs Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al Farhan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic and Development Affairs Abdullah bin Zarah, the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, Advisor to the foreign minister Mohammed Alyahya, and Counsellor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Manal Radwan.