Saudi Arabia calls recognition of Palestine a 'strategic necessity'
Saudi Arabia has called the recognition of a Palestinian state a 'strategic necessity,' arguing it is the essential first step toward achieving lasting peace in the Middle East. The remarks were delivered at a United Nations General Assembly meeting on Friday, ahead of a high-level peace conference next month.
Manal Radwan, counsellor at the Saudi Foreign Ministry and co-chair of the upcoming conference, addressed delegates at the UN, stating that a just solution to the Palestinian issue is not only a moral and legal obligation but also 'the cornerstone of a new regional order based on mutual recognition and coexistence.'
'Regional peace begins with recognising the state of Palestine—not as a symbolic gesture, but as a strategic necessity,' Radwan said. 'It is the only way to eliminate the space exploited by non-state actors and replace despair with a political horizon grounded in rights and sovereignty, ensuring security and dignity for all.'
The comments come as Saudi Arabia and France prepare to co-host an international conference aimed at accelerating the implementation of a two-state solution to resolve the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Support for the initiative has gained momentum in recent days as international concern mounts over the humanitarian toll of Israel's renewed military campaign in Gaza. Radwan described the situation as one of 'historic urgency,' with civilians enduring 'unimaginable suffering' in a war that 'must end immediately.'
Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its commitment to working with international partners to deliver 'real, irreversible, and transformative change' and ensure a peaceful and just resolution to the Palestinian question.
The upcoming conference, backed by a coalition of nations, is seen as one of the most significant diplomatic pushes in recent years to revive the long-stalled peace process.
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