United Nations (TDI): Recognizing the state of Palestine is a “strategic necessity” that would mark the beginning of peace in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia told a United Nations meeting on Friday.
The statement came as Saudi Arabia and France prepare to co-chair an international conference in June designed to hasten the implementation of a two-state solution to end decades of conflict between Israel and Palestinians.
The effort has gained further backing this week as the upsetting toll of Israel’s resumed attacks on Gaza sparked global anger.
Speaking at a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in preparation for the summit, co-chair Manal Radwan, counsellor at Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry, stated that a just solution to the Palestine problem was not only a moral and legal necessity, but “the cornerstone of a new regional order based on mutual recognition and coexistence.”
She said that peace in Middle East begins with recognizing the state of Palestine, not as a symbolic gesture, but as a strategic imperative.
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It is the only way to eliminate the space exploited by non-state actors and replace disappointment with a political process, based in rights and sovereignty, ensuring security and dignity for all, she added.
The high-level conference is set to start on June 17 at the UN headquarters in New York and aims to urgently take concrete steps toward the implementation of the two-state solution.
Read More: Pakistan Calls for Just Solutions to Kashmir, Palestine Conflicts
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated this week that the summit was meant to rally the world to recognize a Palestinian state.
Palestine is officially recognized by 147 of the United Nations’ 193 member countries and has observer status at the UN but is not a full member.
Over 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its military operation in Gaza after the October 2023 Hamas-led attack killed 1,200 people.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
