Latest news with #PrinceFaisalBinFarhan
Bloomberg
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Saudi Arabia Says Palestinian State a Must for Ties With Israel
Saudi Arabia can normalize ties with Israel only after the establishment of a Palestinian state, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan said, reiterating the kingdom's stance days after President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognize it in September. 'For the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, normalization with Israel can only come through the establishment of a Palestinian state,' Bin Farhan said at a United Nations press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, on the two-state solution.
Al Bawaba
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Saudi-French led UN conference pushes two-state solution amid U.S.-Israeli boycott
ALBAWABA- The International Ministerial Conference on the Implementation of the Two-State Solution officially opened Monday evening at the United Nations headquarters in New York, under the joint chairmanship of Saudi Arabia and France. The high-level conference aims to revive momentum toward a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution. Saudi Arabia's state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya aired the opening session, which it described as a ministerial-level initiative dedicated to advancing peace and justice for Palestine through the framework of a two-state solution. In his opening remarks, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan emphasized the Kingdom's position, stating: 'Achieving security and stability in the region begins with justice for the Palestinian people and the realization of their legitimate rights.' He also called for an urgent end to the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan says the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel 'dangerous' escalation in the West Bank must stop immediately. — Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) July 28, 2025 The conference, initially scheduled for June 17–20, had been postponed following a 12-day Israeli military assault on Iran, launched on June 13 with U.S. backing, which raised regional tensions and led French President Emmanuel Macron to delay the event. Despite the broad international turnout, the foreign ministers of the United States and Israel are notably absent, having both announced their refusal to participate. Washington and Tel Aviv remain opposed to any international initiative backing the two-state solution at this time. Observers note that Israel, with full U.S. support, continues to wage what many international human rights organizations and legal bodies describe as a genocidal war in Gaza, marked by mass killings, starvation, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and large-scale forced displacement. The International Court of Justice has issued multiple calls and interim measures to halt the military offensive, all of which have been ignored. As of the latest figures, the Israeli assault on Gaza has resulted in more than 204,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, the vast majority of them women and children. Over 9,000 remain missing, and widespread famine has claimed additional lives. Hundreds of thousands are displaced, facing dire humanitarian conditions with little aid access. Despite U.S. and Israeli absence, the Saudi-French initiative signals renewed global efforts to enforce existing UN resolutions supporting a two-state framework and end decades of occupation, war, and systemic injustice.
Arab News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia renews call for international community to stand by Syria
DUBAI: The Saudi foreign ministry condemned the Israeli attacks on Syrian territory in a statement on X. The ministry expressed its satisfaction with the measures taken by the Syrian government to achieve security and stability over all Syrian territory. Saudi Arabia called for the international community to stand by Syria and confront these ongoing Israeli attacks and violations against Syria. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed Israeli attacks on Syria with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on Wednesday. The two ministers held the call after Israel launched powerful airstrikes in Damascus on Wednesday, blowing up part of the defense ministry and hitting near the presidential palace. The attacks marked a significant Israeli escalation against President Ahmed Al-Sharaa's government and came despite his warming ties with the US and his administration's evolving security contacts with Israel. Scores of people have been killed this week in violence in and around the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, pitting fighters from the Druze minority against government security forces and members of Bedouin tribes.
Arab News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Mexico presents his credentials
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's newly appointed ambassador to Mexico has presented his credentials to the North American state's foreign ministry, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Fahad bin Ali Al-Manawer handed over a copy of his credentials to Ambassador Jonathan Chait Auerbach, the director general of protocol at the ministry, at a reception held on Tuesday. The diplomats also reviewed relations between their nations at the meeting. Al-Manawer took his oath of office in from to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March, in a ceremony attended by the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
CNN
31-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
Israel will block rare Saudi-led ministerial delegation from visiting West Bank, official says, as anger over Gaza grows
Israel has said it will 'not cooperate' with plans from the Palestinian Authority (PA) to host a Saudi-led delegation of foreign ministers in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli official told CNN on Friday. In order to travel to the meeting in Ramallah, ministers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Turkey needed approval from Israel who controls access to the West Bank. It would have been the highest-level Saudi visit to the area since it was occupied by Israel in 1967. The Israeli official dubbed the meeting 'provocative' and told CNN 'Israel will not cooperate with such moves aimed at harming it and its security.' The official added that the PA 'must stop violating its agreements with Israel on all levels.' It is unclear which agreements they are referring to. Hussein Al-Sheikh, vice president of the PA, told CNN that an Arab ministerial delegation led by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan planned to arrive in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday to meet PA President Mahmoud Abbas. The visit would come as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman pushes for international recognition of Palestinian statehood as the war in Gaza drags on and as prospects of Saudi-Israeli normalization grow more distant. Palestinian ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mazen Ghoneim told Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya that the Saudi foreign minister would be joined by the top diplomats from Egypt, Jordan and 'other countries.' 'The ministerial visit… is considered a clear message. The Palestinian cause is a central issue to Arabs and Muslims,' Ghoneim said. An Israeli source familiar with the matter told CNN that Israeli authorities were notified of the visit. CNN has reached out to the governments of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE and Qatar for comment. Shaul Arieli, the head of T-Politography, a think tank which studies the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, said it would be the first such high-level delegation to visit the occupied West Bank since Israel seized the territory in 1967. He told CNN the visit would be 'unprecedented' and underscores a rise in Saudi support for the Palestinian Authority that emerged after the start of the war in Gaza. 'It's a dramatic change,' Arieli said. The Saudis have made clear since the conflict began that 'they support the two-state solution according to '67 borders, they support the establishment of the capital of a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, and they are ready tosupport the budget of the Palestinian Authority.' CNN understands that Saudi Arabia is frustrated at Israel's refusal to end the war in Gaza and is exerting intense diplomatic efforts to convince Western states to recognize Palestinian statehood, including the United States. The kingdom is confident that France will be among the states that will do so in June. Riyadh is also working to prop up the Palestinian Authority as it sees no viable alternative to its role as the political representative of the Palestinian people. In his initial term, US President Donald Trump brokered landmark normalization deals between Israel and multiple Arab states. Yet, his primary ambition remains securing an agreement between Saudi Arabia, a key Muslim power, and Israel. Normalization talks between the kingdom and Israel were progressing before Hamas' October 7 attack. Saudi Arabia was to establish diplomatic relations with Israel and in exchange receive a lucrative defense treaty with Washington, including the possibility of a nuclear program in the kingdom. But as the death toll in Gaza rose and anger spread across the Arab and Muslim world, Saudi Arabia told US officials that it would not normalize relations unless Israel agreed to a pathway for a Palestinian state and 'calm in Gaza.' Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman doubled down in his criticism of Israel, accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza — a claim Israel has denied. His top diplomat told CNN last year that recognition of Israel would not happen without a Palestinian state. In June, Saudi Arabia is expected to co-chair with France a high-level conference in New York for a two-state solution, which envisions the creation of a Palestinian state beside Israel. Speaking in Singapore on Friday, Macron said the eventual recognition of a Palestinian state, was 'not only a moral duty, but a political necessity.' 'What we are building over the coming weeks is obviously a political response to the crisis (in Gaza). And yes, it's a necessity. Because today, over and above the current humanitarian tragedy, it is the very possibility of a Palestinian state that is being questioned.' he said. He warned that Israel has 'hours or days' to improve humanitarian situation in Gaza or face 'tougher' European stance. Riyadh appointed a non-resident ambassador to the Palestinian territories in 2023, weeks before Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel that left 1,200 people dead and triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. The ambassador, Nayef Al Sudairi visited the West Bank in September 2023 to present his credentials to Abbas in what was the highest-level official Saudi visit in decades at the time. Historically, two Saudi kings have visited Jerusalem, including King Saud in 1954, and King Faisal in 1966. CNN's Tamar Michaelis, Eyad Kourdi, Angus Watson and Martin Goillandeau contributed to this report.
