In a new show of support for the establishment of a Palestinian state, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan announced on Thursday from New York the formation of a global alliance to implement a two-state Solution.
He said the alliance, backed by Arab, Islamic, and European partners, will hold its first meeting in Riyadh and urged others to join.
Prince Faisal, addressing the UN General Assembly, reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to supporting an independent Palestinian state.
He noted that the Kingdom has provided over $5 billion in aid to Palestinians.
Since the Gaza crisis began, Saudi Arabia has sent around $185 million in humanitarian aid through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center.
The Kingdom also signed agreements with international organizations for projects worth more than $106 million. Total Saudi contributions to UNRWA have surpassed $1 billion.
Prince Faisal also welcomed the UN General Assembly's adoption of a resolution in May recognizing Palestine's eligibility for full UN membership.
He praised Norway, Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and Armenia for their positive decisions to recognize Palestine as a state, urging other nations to follow suit with bilateral recognition.
The Saudi announcement was welcomed globally, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell praising it as the result of joint Arab-European efforts.
At a ministerial meeting on Gaza and the two-state solution, Borrell highlighted Saudi Arabia’s leadership in launching the global initiative.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, who co-chaired the UN meeting with Saudi Arabia and the EU, called the two-state solution the “only credible path to peace” and stressed the urgent need to establish a Palestinian state.
On its part, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday urged all nations to join Saudi Arabia’s historic alliance.
The OIC said the Saudi initiative serves as a political safeguard for the two-state solution, rooted in international law and UN resolutions.
It reflects a commitment to ending the Israeli occupation, creating a Palestinian state, and achieving lasting peace in the region.
Saudi Arabia has played a significant role in advancing international recognition of Palestine, according to Djibouti’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he noted that Saudi Arabia has been a longstanding supporter of the Palestinians and has recently intensified its efforts.
This was particularly evident during the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh last November, which aimed to achieve international recognition for Palestine.
Bamakhrama stated that the recent progress is the result of hard work by Saudi diplomacy, backed by Arab and Islamic nations.
Additionally, Abdulaziz bin Sager, Chairman of the Gulf Research Center, urged the need to capitalize on the momentum created by Saudi Arabia’s push for a two-state solution.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he emphasized the importance of establishing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
This momentum has increased following Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s recent statement that there will be no normalization or diplomatic relations with Israel until a Palestinian state is formed.
He highlighted that Saudi Arabia’s actions are grounded in strong diplomatic principles based on respect and trust.
Sager highlighted that “no other regional party can rally the international community around a political solution.”
He noted that launching an alliance requires sustained efforts from Saudi diplomacy, which involves significant responsibility and a long-term strategy for success.
He warned that “Israel’s stubbornness and the current US hesitance should not obstruct progress toward a peaceful resolution.”
Sager called for support for the international coalition led by Saudi Arabia, working alongside Arab and European partners, to pressure Israel into a comprehensive peace settlement based on international resolutions.
