Saudi Gazette Report

RIYADH — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan underscored the need to evolve comprehensive solutions to the Palestinian issue. Addressing a dialogue session at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh on Monday, he described the situation in the Gaza Strip as a catastrophe. “The Israeli plans to expand military operations towards Rafah will only bring more suffering to the targeted and defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip. The situation in Gaza obviously is a catastrophe by every measure,” he said adding that talking about half-measures in the Gaza Strip is ridiculous.

Prince Faisal emphasized that the focus should on the two-state solution. The minister stressed that the Gaza Strip will take 30 years to be rebuilt after the Israeli war. A UN report, he pointed out, has indicated that it will take 14 years just to remove the rubble. “We cannot ignore what the Palestinians are suffering in the West Bank. We need a credible and irreversible path to establishing a Palestinian state.”

Replying to a question about negotiations between the Kingdom and US regarding a security agreement, Prince Faisal noted that it is expected to conclude bilateral agreements between the two countries in the near future. “Most of the work has already been done. We have the broad outlines of what we think should happen on the Palestinian front,” he said.

Taking part in the dialogue session, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi said that the Israeli government is led by an ideology that does not believe in the two-state solution. “Israel says publicly that it does not want a two-state solution and rejects international resolutions. The Israeli settlement kills the two-state solution,” he said.

The Jordanian minister believed that the world must confront Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and not allow him to drag the region into war." Al-Safadi considered that the establishment of a Palestinian state makes what Hamas supports irrelevant. “We will tell Hamas to release the hostages if Israel implements a ceasefire,” Al-Safadi said whle emphasizing that any approach in Gaza must be part of a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue.

For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that what must be done is a two-state solution and preventing the spiral of violence from expanding. “Egypt presented a proposal on the table before Israel and Hamas that would lead to a ceasefire,” he said while urging Israel and Hamas to make concessions.