Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi called on all countries to join the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and to recognize the State of Palestine as a prelude to rebuilding trust and establishing genuine peace.
Speaking at the high-level ministerial session of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held at the UN Headquarters in New York City and co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, Albudaiwi thanked the Saudi leadership for launching the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution.
He emphasized that this initiative represents a strategic vision that refocuses the international community on the core of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
He commended France for co-chairing the conference with the Kingdom and acknowledged the efforts of President Emmanuel Macron and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
"The Palestinian cause will remain a top priority for the GCC as a non-negotiable matter of right and justice," he stressed.
He noted that 2002 marked a turning point when the GCC endorsed the Arab Peace Initiative, proposed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which offered a comprehensive strategic vision for a just and lasting peace. He stated: “The initiative laid a solid foundation for viable peace by explicitly calling for an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital — a fundamental condition for any realistic settlement that could restore balance and stability in the region.”
Albudaiwi praised the countries that made the sovereign decision to recognize Palestine, reflecting a historic sense of responsibility and a clear commitment to international justice and principles. He also condemned Israeli aggression in Gaza, rejected settlement policies that undermine the two-state solution, and emphasized the vital role of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), calling for continuous humanitarian aid, reconstruction efforts, and international accountability.