NEW YORK — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan reaffirmed that the legal and moral responsibility to put an end to the crisis in Palestine lies with the United Nations Security Council. "The Council's discussions have been held hostage by political considerations that have prevented it from exercising its responsibilities," Prince Faisal said while addressing the United Nations Security Council session on Palestine on Friday. The minister noted that Saudi Arabia believes that ending the Israeli occupation and implementing the two-state solution is the basis for stopping the cycle of violence in the region. "It is also instrumental to alleviating suffering, and achieving regional security and stability. Therefore, Saudi Arabia launched, with its partners in the Joint Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, the Kingdom of Norway, and the European Union, the "International Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution," he said while noting that this is out of the Kingdom's sense of shared responsibility to work to change the reality of the conflict. Prince Faisal reiterated the Kingdom's commitment to establishing an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, upholding the Palestinians' inherent right to self-determination. At the outset of the speech, Prince Faisal thanked Slovenia for responding to the call of Algeria to hold this session and for its support for efforts to establish international peace and security, which was clearly embodied in its historical recognition of the State of Palestine. The minister stressed the importance of the Palestinian issue being at the forefront of the Security Council's attention in light of the continued serious Israeli violations and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation. He also drew attention to the serious effects that have become clear due to the prolonging of the crisis and the expansion of the conflict through the ongoing military escalation. "We have repeatedly raised the urgent Palestinian issue before the Security Council without any serious action being taken. Since last October, six draft resolutions out of 10 have been vetoed, and the adopted resolutions have not yet succeeded in achieving a ceasefire, addressing the catastrophic humanitarian situation, or paving the way for a credible political path toward peace. We wonder what the Council needs to end this suffering and implement international law," he said. The minister underscored the growing gap between international consensus and differences within the Security Council, which has hampered its performance and weakened its outcomes. "The General Assembly has expressed in successive resolutions about what countries are calling for, the urgent need for a ceasefire, providing uninterrupted humanitarian assistance, and the Palestinians' right to self-determination," he said. In this context, Prince Faisal valued the UN General Assembly's decision on Palestine's eligibility for full membership in the United Nations, which granted it additional privileges in the organization, as well as its recent decision calling for Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories. Prince Faisal also stressed that achieving peace requires empowerment from the institutions of the international community, specifically the Security Council, and requires courage in making decisions and commitment to implementation. "To those who say that we should wait for negotiations to establish a Palestinian state and not take unilateral steps, what should we do when Israel refuses even to recognize the principle of the two-state solution? And continues with unilateral measures that undermine the prospects for a solution," Prince Faisal said while adding, "the time has come to launch a serious partnership for peace. From the Security Council, I call on members of the international community, especially the Council countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine, to support the two-state solution and preserve the chances of achieving coexistence and sustainable peace."
