Arab Summit Calls for UN Forces to Protect Palestinians Ahead of Implementation of Two-State Solution

A handout photo made available by the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) shows Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa (C) posing for family photo with Arab leaders and participants at the 33rd Arab League Summit, in Manama, Bahrain, 16 May 2024. (EPA/BNA)
A handout photo made available by the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) shows Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa (C) posing for family photo with Arab leaders and participants at the 33rd Arab League Summit, in Manama, Bahrain, 16 May 2024. (EPA/BNA)
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Arab Summit Calls for UN Forces to Protect Palestinians Ahead of Implementation of Two-State Solution

A handout photo made available by the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) shows Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa (C) posing for family photo with Arab leaders and participants at the 33rd Arab League Summit, in Manama, Bahrain, 16 May 2024. (EPA/BNA)
A handout photo made available by the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) shows Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa (C) posing for family photo with Arab leaders and participants at the 33rd Arab League Summit, in Manama, Bahrain, 16 May 2024. (EPA/BNA)

Arab leaders called on Thursday for the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers in the Palestinian territories who can protect civilians ahead of the implementation of the two-state solution.

The leaders met at the 33rd ordinary session of the Arab League Council in Manama, under the presidency of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to address the war on Gaza.

In a closing statement, the leaders underscored the importance of the two-state solution and the need for setting a timeframe for the political process and negotiations. They called for taking clear measures to that end.

They also called for holding a UN-sponsored international conference focusing on resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution and that would end the Israeli occupation of all Arab lands and establish an independent Palestinian state according to international resolutions.

The sovereign and viable Palestinian state would live in security and peace side-by-side with Israel, it added.

The leaders tasked the foreign ministers of Arab countries to “act immediately to communicate with the counterparts around the world to urge them to swiftly recognize the State of Palestine.”

Consultations will be held with the FMs to discuss the details of their efforts.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, reiterated the Kingdom’s support for the establishment of an internationally recognized Palestinian state, demanding that the international community support ceasefire efforts in Gaza.

The Kingdom is committed to resolving conflicts through peaceful means, he stressed before the summit.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi underscored Cairo’s firm stance in rejecting the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, adding that “those who believe that security and military solutions can achieve interests or achieve security are delusional.”

He added that the region was at a crossroads “that demands that all concerned parties choose between either peace, stability and hope, or chaos and destruction that the ongoing military escalation is leading us to.”

Moreover, he noted that “history will look on long at the war in Gaza to record a major tragedy that has been marked by killing, reprisals and a siege on an entire people, their starvation and terrorization.”

He also criticized the international community’s “regrettable inability” to take any action to address the crisis.



Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Pursues Efforts to Quell Sudan Crisis

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji at the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan (SPA)

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis. He expressed Saudi Arabia’s openness to international initiatives aimed at bringing peace to Sudan.
At the Second Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan, held in Djibouti, Al-Khuraiji discussed the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis.
He mentioned that Saudi Arabia, in partnership with the United States, facilitated talks between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, leading to the Jeddah Declaration on May 11, 2023, which aimed to protect civilians.
Al-Khuraiji also noted the continuation of talks with the involvement of the African Union and IGAD, emphasizing Saudi Arabia’s support for African-led solutions.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s commitment to restoring stability in Sudan and urged all parties to act with wisdom, show restraint, and support positive initiatives.
Al-Khuraiji also met with EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber, on the sidelines of the consultative meeting.
In separate meetings, he also met with the UN Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, and US Special Envoy for Sudan, Tom Perriello.
During these meetings, they reviewed the latest developments in Sudan, explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, and discussed topics of mutual interest.
The Sudanese Coordination of Civil Democratic Forces (Taqaddum) expressed support for international and regional meetings, hoping they would bring positive results to ease the suffering of the Sudanese people.
They urged the need that discussions focus on ensuring humanitarian aid reaches those in need, protecting civilians, and achieving an immediate ceasefire.
Taqaddum highlighted the importance of international legal frameworks for civilian protection and safe passageways during the conflict.
They called on international and regional partners to quickly bring both sides back to negotiations, build on the Jeddah agreements, and secure a binding ceasefire with effective monitoring.
Taqaddum also stressed the need for a unified negotiation platform to achieve peace.