Delivered by: HE Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State
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His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
His Excellency Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic,
His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Excellencies, and dear colleagues,
First, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic for their commendable efforts in leading this historic conference. I would also like to thank the co-chairs of the eight working groups and all the delegations that contributed to the preparations for the conference over the past months.
We meet today as the world witnesses a growing momentum in the international consensus around the necessity of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution. Recognition of the Palestinian state is growing day by day. The announcement by His Excellency French President Emmanuel Macron of his country’s intention to recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly next September provides a greater incentive to move steadily toward establishing a lasting, just, and comprehensive peace, bringing an end to a tragic chapter in the history of the Middle East.
There is no doubt that the facts on the ground force us to take a frank and honest stand. After twenty-one months since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, it is time to move from mere attempts to contain the conflict to addressing its root causes.
Our work at this conference to chart a clear path to achieving the two-state solution must not overshadow the highest priority today of working to stop the tragic humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the Gaza Strip, the continued deterioration of the situation in the West Bank, and the encroachment of Israeli settlers and extremists against the Palestinians in the West Bank. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached an unprecedented critical stage that requires everyone to stand together to stop this catastrophe.
Against this situation, the United Arab Emirates has been leading international efforts to deliver life-saving aid to the Palestinian people, and my country will continue to deliver relief support to those most in need by land, air, and sea. We have indeed begun aerial drops of aid in Gaza, in addition to the land and sea aid convoys.
While addressing the humanitarian situation, it is imperative to work towards an immediate ceasefire, release the hostages and prisoners, and combine international efforts to stop the war in Gaza, paving the way for a sustainable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution.
To achieve sustainable peace, we stress the following points:
First: The importance of pushing to establish a political will that believes that a political solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based on the two-state solution, is the only realistic option that leads to sustainable peace, through a serious negotiation process between the parties, under regional and international sponsorship.
Second: To avoid the continuation of the conflict and the recurrence of confrontations and violence, a political horizon must be created by adopting a clear, binding, and irreversible roadmap for the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state living in peace and security side by side with the State of Israel. All concerned parties must commit to saving this roadmap.
Third: The path to establishing a Palestinian state must include a radical approach to address issues of reform, governance, and security, ensuring the empowerment of a legitimate, competent, and responsible Palestinian National Authority capable of controlling the possession of weapons, ensuring security, stability, and the rule of law, and committed to combating extremism and terrorism.
Fourth: The political process for achieving sustainable peace must include a regional and international dimension, involving regional and international actors in a concerted effort to combat extremism and terrorism in the region, end the cycle of violence and confrontations, resolve crises, promote stability, build bridges of communication, and achieve development and prosperity for all countries and peoples of the region, including the aspirations and hopes of Palestinians and Israelis.
Excellencies,
Every day that passes without a solution deepens the wounds and distances the chances of peace. Today, the path ahead is clear, especially with the steps and commitments expressed by the international community in the eight working groups emerging from this conference, in many of which my country has participated. All we need now is the political courage to move towards peace as the optimal strategic option.
Thank you.