Saudi Arabia Urges UNRWA Donors to Assume Their Responsibilities in Fulfilling Humanitarian Duties 

Palestinians stand at the entrance of the UNRWA-run University College for Educational Science Ramallah city in the occupied West Bank on January 29, 2024. (AFP)
Palestinians stand at the entrance of the UNRWA-run University College for Educational Science Ramallah city in the occupied West Bank on January 29, 2024. (AFP)
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Saudi Arabia Urges UNRWA Donors to Assume Their Responsibilities in Fulfilling Humanitarian Duties 

Palestinians stand at the entrance of the UNRWA-run University College for Educational Science Ramallah city in the occupied West Bank on January 29, 2024. (AFP)
Palestinians stand at the entrance of the UNRWA-run University College for Educational Science Ramallah city in the occupied West Bank on January 29, 2024. (AFP)

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said on Monday the Kingdom was closely watching the international fallout after a number of countries suspended their funding of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA).

 

They paused the funding in the wake of Israeli allegations that 12 agency staff were involved in the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas in southern Israel.

 

The Foreign Ministry stressed the importance of verifying the claims so that fact-based evidence can be revealed.

 

In a statement, it noted the humanitarian sacrifices made by UNRWA, citing the death and injury of its members in arbitrary Israeli attacks on relief agency buildings in Gaza and its surrounding areas.

 

“The Kingdom urges all UNRWA donors to assume their responsibilities in fulfilling the humanitarian duties towards the Palestinian refugees inside the besieged Gaza Strip,” it continued.

 

It underscored the importance of the agency continuing to carry out its duties to meet the basic needs of the Palestinian people and ease the impact of the current humanitarian crisis.

 

It reiterated the Kingdom’s “deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza in wake of the flagrant Israeli violations against international law and international humanitarian law.”



Saudi Arabia Calls for ‘Reliable’ Path to the Establishment of Independent Palestinian State

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah addresses the second meeting of the G20 Foreign Ministers in New York. SPA
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah addresses the second meeting of the G20 Foreign Ministers in New York. SPA
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Saudi Arabia Calls for ‘Reliable’ Path to the Establishment of Independent Palestinian State

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah addresses the second meeting of the G20 Foreign Ministers in New York. SPA
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah addresses the second meeting of the G20 Foreign Ministers in New York. SPA

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah participated on Wednesday in the second meeting of the G20 Foreign Ministers, chaired by Brazil, urging them to enable the achievement of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the adoption of a “reliable” path to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

"The fact that our meeting is being held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly is an indication of the importance of the G20 and its leadership in ensuring the health of the global economy, enhancing multilateral cooperation, and finding innovative solutions to common challenges,” the Foreign Minister said in his speech.

He underscored the urgent need to adhere to successful models of collective action and the importance of seeking to develop and reform international institutions.

"The repercussions of wars and political conflicts undermine efforts to establish international peace and security and cast their shadows on all aspects of multilateral action, and when these institutions fail to carry out their fundamental duties towards these crises, this creates a gap in international action and a crisis of confidence that undermines their legitimacy. This is what we are witnessing today in the way some international institutions deal with the humanitarian catastrophe in Palestine."

The Minister stressed that prolonging the war and expanding its scope deepens the suffering of the Palestinian people, threatens international peace and security, and undermines the chances of achieving comprehensive peace in the region.

"The G20 countries must intensify their joint efforts to overcome the international failure to confront Israel's serious violations of international laws and norms and enable the achievement of a ceasefire and the adoption of a reliable and irreversible path to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” he added.

Regarding reforming the United Nations system, especially the Security Council, he stressed that there is an urgent need for radical reform to compensate for the defects in addressing crises, responding to the needs of people, and keeping pace with international transformations and development requirements.

"The Kingdom affirms that the goal of reforming the Security Council is to enhance its credibility and effective response, believing in the importance of this in confronting contemporary crises and challenges, thus contributing to creating a more just, secure and stable world."