Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has once again confirmed the Kingdom’s strong support for a two-state solution, calling it the only path to lasting peace in the Middle East. Speaking at a major international conference held at the United Nations and co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France, Prince Faisal said that the two-state solution is the “key to stability in the region.”
He described the event as a critical moment to restart efforts for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent promise to recognize a Palestinian state and said that giving Palestinians their legal rights is necessary for real peace. Prince Faisal also asked for an end to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and announced that Saudi Arabia and France had worked together to provide $300 million in aid through the World Bank for Palestinians.
Prince Faisal highlighted the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative and called for more international support for the newly formed Coalition for the Two-State Solution.
France, through its Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, also pushed for peace and said the world must now move quickly. Barrot said the war has lasted too long and needs to stop immediately. He urged the world to turn the two-state plan into real action and said the New York conference could be the start of major political progress.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also thanked Saudi Arabia and France for holding the event. He said the conference is a special opportunity to continue peace talks and warned that actions like illegal land grabs in the West Bank make peace harder to achieve. Guterres said the UN will continue to support the two-state plan.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa called the conference a historic opportunity and thanked both Saudi Arabia and France. He said the world is showing support for Palestine. Mustafa also called on Palestinian political groups to unite. He asked Hamas to hand over weapons to the Palestinian Authority and suggested bringing in international forces, with the PA’s help, to protect civilians in Gaza. He said, “We are ready to take full responsibility. Peace is the only solution.”
However, the United States has refused to join the conference. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce called the meeting unhelpful and said it could slow down real peace talks. She said the event looked more like a political show than real diplomacy. Bruce also raised concerns about Macron’s recognition of Palestine, which was welcomed by Hamas. She said this kind of move could send the wrong message.
The US believes that serious, private diplomacy is better than public gatherings and that such events could actually make the conflict worse by encouraging extremist groups.
The New York conference aims to restart global support for the two-state solution and bring all sides closer to a peaceful end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
