Amid the high tension that bedevilled the Middle East over the lingering crisis between Palestine and Israel, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has unveiled a new initiative aimed at establishing an independent Palestinian state and advancing the implementation of a two-state solution.
This announcement comes after decades of failed international efforts to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict, which has brought the region to the verge of full-scale war.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan introduced the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution during a speech at a high-level meeting attended by the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Norway.
Prince Faisal revealed that the initiative is a joint effort between Arab and European nations, stating that the alliance’s first meeting will take place in Riyadh. Additionally, Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, confirmed that follow-up meetings will be held in Riyadh and Brussels.
“We are committed to working towards a reliable and irreversible plan for achieving just and comprehensive peace,” said Prince Faisal, while calling for collective action to reach tangible results, with a focus on securing an immediate ceasefire and progressing toward a two-state solution, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The backdrop of this initiative is the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which intensified following the deadly October 7 Hamas attack that claimed the lives of nearly 1,200 people and resulted in hundreds of hostages being taken to Gaza. In response, Israel has launched extensive airstrikes, significantly damaging the Gaza Strip.
Prince Faisal condemned the escalating violence, noting that the war has triggered a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and criticised what he called Israeli “crimes” in the West Bank and at key Muslim and Christian holy sites, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Prince Faisal stressed that while self-defence is a legitimate right, it cannot be used to justify mass civilian casualties, forced displacement, starvation, or acts of dehumanisation, including systematic torture and sexual violence, which he claimed have been documented as part of Israeli military actions.
