Palestinian Authority capable of governing Gaza, says Saudi foreign minister

The Palestinian Authority is capable of governing the Gaza Strip, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said Friday, adding that any discussions on the future governance of Gaza must be preceded by a ceasefire.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, speaking at a press conference in Oslo, said that a way out of the cycle of violence must be found and a Palestinian state must be established, expressing confidence in the Palestinian Authority’s capability to assume responsibilities in the event of such statehood.

Prince Faisal also said that he hopes a new resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in the UN Security council will get more support, “especially by the US who had previously vetoed the resolution.”

“We don’t think there’s a justification not to call for a ceasefire in Gaza,” he said after a meeting of Arab and Nordic foreign ministers.

When asked about attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia in the Red Sea, Prince Faisal said that there was no need for any further escalation in the region.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said that Israel’s objectives in the Gaza war extend beyond eliminating the territory’s Hamas rulers to include the displacement of Palestinians.