Prince Faisal bin Farhan said crises have escalated around the world and unfortunately the international community has remained silent spectators to their management, rather than seeking concrete solutions.
“In this context of tensions within the country, we caution against political polarization,” he said, stressing the need for dialogue and cooperation.
Saudi Arabia “strongly condemns all Israeli crimes against our beloved Palestinian people,” Prince Faisal said. The Gaza war is the latest chapter in the suffering of the Palestinian people.
He said that Saudi Arabia hosted an Arab-Israeli summit on the crisis in November 2023 and strived for proposals and decisions that reflected the will of the Arab and Muslim people. The desire was to stop the bloodshed, pave the way for an uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid, and turn into reality the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people, most notably the creation of an independent state.
He said that Saudi Arabia therefore welcomes the UN General Assembly resolution of 10 May 2024 which states that the State of Palestine meets all the conditions to become a member state of the United Nations.
Prince Faisal said that since the start of the war in Gaza in October (2023), Saudi Arabia has given more than 5 billion dollars in aid to the Palestinian people and that his country is running a 106 billion dollar humanitarian project for it, working closely with international and UN aid agencies.
He emphasized that finding a just solution to the Palestinian crisis was vital and that continued impunity and lack of respect for legal responsibility encouraged Israel to continue the war.
‘Discounts and Developments’
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said his country had taken steps toward “concessions and development” with Iran, including an agreement to restore diplomatic ties, referring to the wider region.
“We expect Iran to cooperate with the international community, especially regarding its nuclear program and its ballistic missile program,” he said.
Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia has also re-established relations with war-torn Syria to strengthen cooperation on common issues, as we believe that by finding a solution to the crisis, we will all be able to achieve peace and stability in our region.
Beyond that, Saudi Arabia is supporting all efforts to resolve the crisis in Yemen and the Red Sea, where attacks by Houthi rebels pose a risk to international maritime trade.
He said Saudi Arabia has confirmed its support for maintaining peace and stability in Sudan. These efforts include holding peace talks in Jeddah.
Meanwhile, “Afghanistan also cannot be ignored in the eyes of the region and the international community, otherwise terrorists will dominate there.”
“Therefore, it is important to prevent the humanitarian and security situation in Afghanistan from providing fertile ground for various groups and militias to operate.”
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said the international community must end the Russia-Ukraine war and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia continues his efforts in this regard.