NEW YORK — Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the Arab Group, reaffirmed that the Palestinian cause remains at the core of the conflict in the Middle East during the UN Security Council’s emergency session on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. In a statement delivered by Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr. Abdulaziz Alwasil, the Arab Group reiterated its rejection of settlement expansion, land confiscation, forced displacement, and the targeting of civilians. He stressed the Kingdom’s belief that achieving a just and lasting peace requires a two-state solution, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Dr. Alwasil also spoke of the invalidity of all attempts aimed at imposing Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories or altering the legal and historical status of Jerusalem and its holy sites. In addition, the Permanent Representative said the Kingdom welcomes international efforts, including those led by the United States, to secure a permanent ceasefire. He emphasized the importance of ensuring the immediate and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and rejected its use as a means of collective punishment or a tool of political pressure. He also called on the Security Council to uphold its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security and to implement its relevant resolutions, including Resolution No. 2334. In conclusion, Dr. Alwasil underscored the Kingdom’s call to fulfill international legal obligations to protect the Palestinian people and support prospects for peace and stability in the region.
