RIYADH — Saudi Arabia emphasized on Wednesday that the Gaza disaster has exposed the double standards and selective application of international laws and UN resolutions by the global community. In his speech, on behalf of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, at the virtual summit of the leaders of the G20 countries, Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the Israeli military escalation and violence are raging in the besieged Gaza in flagrant violation of international laws and it had resulted in one of the history's worst humanitarian catastrophes. "The Gaza conflict would inevitably lead to consequences that go beyond this crisis and jeopardize the credibility of the current international system, which will have a negative impact on the world's future ability to maintain international peace and security," he said. Al-Jadaan stressed Saudi Arabia's categorical rejection of targeting civilians, infrastructure, residential and medical facilities, and displacing Palestinians from Gaza. He reiterated the Kingdom's demand to spare bloodshed and stop Israeli military operations immediately. He underlined the need for urgent and safe access of relief and medical supplies to the residents of the Gaza Strip, and create conditions to restore stability and achieve a peaceful solution that guarantees the Palestinian people's access to their legitimate rights and the establishment of their independent state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Regarding climate change, Al-Jadaan underscored that everyone should work seriously and diligently, taking advantage of the latest cutting-edge technologies and various approaches, including the circular carbon economy approach, which enhances the management of carbon emissions and contributes to achieving climate goals. He stressed the Kingdom's commitment to continuing its comprehensive efforts to confront climate change. The minister of finance indicated that the worsening debt vulnerabilities and increasing pressures on many countries require a coordinated global response. "The Kingdom gives a high priority to implementing the G20 common framework, and stresses the importance of intensifying efforts to establish a sustainable approach to this framework," he added. The virtual meeting comes as a continuation of G20 summit of leaders, held in New Delhi, India in September, and it aimed to discuss the outcomes of its final statement and a number of topics, including the role of multilateral development banks, climate action and green finance, technical transformation, digital infrastructure, and the role of women in development.
