Saudi Arabia’s FM calls on world to publicly support Palestinian statehood

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Wednesday called on countries that have privately voiced willingness to recognize an independent state of Palestine to do so publicly.

“To the nations that have privately expressed their willingness to do this, I urge you to take this crucial step publicly.

Now is the time to stand on the right side of history,” the top Saudi diplomat wrote in an op-ed for the Financial Times.

This comes just days after Prince Faisal announced the launch of a new international coalition to work towards implementing a two-state solution after decades of international efforts failed, leading the region to the brink of an all-out war.

The Global Alliance for the Implementation of the two-state solution was unveiled during Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s speech at a meeting on the sidelines of last week’s UN General Assembly in New York that included the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Norway.

“Self-determination is an inalienable right that the Palestinian people not only deserve but are entitled to. Our diplomats have worked tirelessly alongside others to secure recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state globally,” Prince Faisal wrote in the op-ed.

Highlighting the ongoing tragedy in Gaza, he said the world needed to recognize the need for an immediate ceasefire, warning that a regional war could easily ensue.

And the only way to reach stability in the region is by reaching a two-state solution allowing Palestinians and Israelis to live side by side.

Reiterating Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s comments, the Saudi foreign minister said the Palestinian issue is at the forefront of Saudi concerns.

“Saudi Arabia will tirelessly work towards establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without this condition,” he vowed. “It is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that will deliver the dividends we seek: regional stability, integration and prosperity.”

The breakout of another war between Lebanon and Israel began this week after yet another Israeli invasion. And peace can’t be built on a foundation of occupation and resentment, Prince Faisal said. “True security for Israel will come from recognizing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”

However, he warned that the obstacles to peace were not Palestinians and Israelis who wanted coexistence, “but rather the radicals and warmongers on both sides who reject a just resolution and seek to spread this conflict across our region and beyond.”

Going forward, Prince Faisal said the Palestinian Authority must control both the West Bank and Gaza.

He also took a shot at the Israeli policies and wars against Palestinians for decades. “Conversely, it has been clear for too long that self-defense is not Israel’s primary goal in this war. Instead, it seems the objective is to eliminate the conditions for life with any modicum of dignity for decades to come,” he said.

Prince Faisal went on to say that Israel was creating a reality that diminished prospects for a sovereign Palestinian state. “Its intransigence only exacerbates tensions and erodes trust, making diplomatic negotiations increasingly difficult, prolonging the suffering of both sides and pushing the region ever closer to wider war,” he wrote.

More than just recognizing Palestine is needed, including accountability in line with International Court of Justice opinions, which have said that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories are illegal and that all states should not give aid or support toward maintaining it.

Prince Faisal called for imposing punitive measures against anyone who works to undermine Palestinian statehood but also incentives for those who support it.

“Palestinian statehood is a prerequisite for peace, rather than its byproduct. This is the only path that can lead us out of this cycle of violence and into a future where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace, with security and mutual respect. Let us not delay any longer,” he said.