Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Since the early 20th century, the Palestinian cause has stood as one of the most complex and defining issues in the Middle East.
With mass Jewish immigration during the British Mandate, escalating clashes, and the 1947 UN Partition Plan, the conflict became the axis of Arab-Israeli tensions and a central matter of international diplomacy.
From the outset, Saudi Arabia placed Palestine at the forefront of its foreign policy, standing by the rights of its people and calling for international approaches that safeguard civilians and ensure justice.
Over the decades, successive Saudi Kings translated this commitment into political, financial, and humanitarian action.
Under King Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Kingdom participated in the 1939 London Conference on Palestine and sent Saudi fighters to support Arab forces in the 1948 war.
His successor, King Saud, visited Palestine in 1935 as Crown Prince and later extended aid and opportunities to displaced Palestinian families during his reign.
King Faisal elevated the issue onto the Islamic stage, spearheading the first Islamic Summit in Rabat in 1969 after the Al-Aqsa Mosque fire, and stressing in international contacts the protection of Jerusalem and its people.
King Khalid continued rallying Arab and Islamic support to unify positions on a just settlement.
In 1981, King Fahd presented a peace initiative that became the 1982 Arab Peace Plan at the Fez Summit, framing a realistic path for settlement based on international legitimacy.
He also mobilized Saudi and Arab media for the Palestinian cause and authorized financial and humanitarian assistance.
In 2000, during the Cairo Arab Summit, Crown Prince Abdullah proposed the establishment of the “Jerusalem Intifada Fund” and “Al-Aqsa Fund” with a value of $1 billion, with Saudi Arabia covering a quarter of the total.
Two years later, he advanced the Arab Peace Initiative at the Beirut Summit, calling for full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Arab territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and normalization of relations in return.
King Salman reaffirmed the Kingdom’s historic stance, hosting the 29th Arab Summit in Dhahran in 2018, which was named the “Jerusalem Summit.”
There, Saudi Arabia pledged $150 million for Islamic endowments in Jerusalem and $50 million for UNRWA, underscoring the centrality of Palestine in the Arab and Islamic conscience.
On Sept. 27, 2024, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan announced the launch of the “International Coalition to Implement the Two-State Solution” at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Backed by Arab and Islamic countries and international partners, the coalition reaffirmed the Palestinians’ right to statehood.
The Kingdom urged countries that had not yet recognized Palestine to join the international consensus, which now includes 149 nations.
On Sept. 29, 2024, Saudi Arabia welcomed the UN General Assembly’s decision affirming Palestine’s eligibility for full UN membership.
In October 2024, Riyadh hosted the coalition’s first meeting, pressing for de-escalation, accountability mechanisms, and practical timelines toward Palestinian statehood.
These efforts advanced in April and May 2025, when Saudi Arabia, co-chairing with France, led preparatory meetings for a high-level international peace conference at the UN.
Working groups addressed borders, security, economy, refugees, and humanitarian support.
On July 28, 2025, the conference adopted its final document, calling for an end to the Gaza war, a just and lasting settlement based on the two-state solution, and measures to enable Palestinian institutions to serve their people.
The diplomatic push culminated on Sept. 12, 2025, when the UN General Assembly passed the “New York Declaration” endorsing the two-state solution, with 142 votes in favor.
Saudi Arabia welcomed the resolution, calling it proof of the growing international consensus on Palestinian statehood.
On Sept. 10, 2025, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman addressed the Shoura Council, affirming that the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative remains the framework for achieving a Palestinian state.
He highlighted Saudi Arabia’s success in mobilizing wider recognition of Palestine and in leading international momentum toward implementing the two-state solution.
For decades, Saudi Arabia has held that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is the cornerstone of peace and stability in the region.
Today, the Kingdom renews its call for all peace-loving nations to join the international coalition, underscoring its historic, humanitarian, and political commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and achieving a just and lasting settlement.
