Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, played a pivotal role in today's emergency session of the UN Security Council focused on the Middle East, including the Palestinian cause. Invited by China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, Prince Faisal delivered a compelling speech, highlighting the dire situation in the Gaza Strip. In his address, Prince Faisal expressed concern over the escalating death toll, surpassing 14,000, with 67% being women and children. He emphasized the plight of over half a million displaced individuals due to Israeli forces' military escalation, violating international charters and resolutions. The minister underscored the absence of international accountability mechanisms and urged for collective action. Prince Faisal reiterated the outcomes of the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit hosted by Saudi Arabia on November 11, 2023. The summit called for an immediate end to the crisis, emphasizing the will of Arab and Islamic peoples to halt bloodshed, provide relief assistance, end violations, and support Palestinian rights. Highlighting the message of the summit, Prince Faisal urged peace-seeking nations to join their voices in calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, establishing a genuine peace process. He welcomed the humanitarian truce in Gaza, crediting Qatar, Egypt, and the US for their efforts. However, he stressed the need for unobstructed humanitarian aid delivery, calling for adherence to Security Council Resolution No. 2712. Prince Faisal denounced Israel's baseless pretexts for self-defense and warned against allowing military escalation to resume post-truce. He emphasized that the solution lies in a ceasefire and Israel's response to peace efforts, referencing Saudi Arabia's historic advocacy for peace. In conclusion, Prince Faisal called for international recognition of the independent state of Palestine under a Security Council resolution, urging full UN membership. He renewed the call for an international peace conference, facilitated by the UN, to launch a credible peace process based on the two-state solution and international legitimacy resolutions.
