Arabs reject displacement of Gazans

Amid rising concerns over the potential forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the six-party Arab ministerial meeting in Cairo reaffirmed its categorical rejection of any such move and emphasized the need for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, reports Saudi Gazette.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministers reiterated their commitment to working with US President Donald Trump’s administration to achieve a two-state solution, stressing the importance of a sustainable ceasefire that ensures the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to all parts of Gaza.

The meeting also underscored support for ongoing mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to ensure the phased execution of the ceasefire agreement and the eventual achievement of full de-escalation.

Ministers called for the removal of all obstacles hindering entry of humanitarian relief, shelter supplies, and essential materials needed for Gaza's recovery and reconstruction.

Additionally, the ministers rejected any attempts to limit the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), stressing the urgent need for a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza.

They urged the international community and the UN Security Council to uphold the two-state solution and dismissed any plans to divide the Gaza Strip, reiterating the necessity of an Israeli withdrawal.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Cairo discussions focused on ensuring the continuation of the ceasefire, strengthening the Palestinian Authority’s governance capabilities, facilitating the safe return of displaced residents to their homes, and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

This high-level meeting came just days after President Trump proposed relocating Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, a suggestion that was swiftly rejected by both nations and met with opposition from various Arab and international actors.

The discussions also followed Israel’s recent decision to ban UNRWA operations in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem as of Thursday, a move that has been widely condemned as having "catastrophic consequences" for Palestinian refugees.

Attending the Cairo meeting were Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Also present were Hussein Al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

 

Arab states support two-state solution for lasting peace

The participating nations, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Mauritania, and the United Comoros Republic, collectively condemned and rejected the targeting of civilians, all acts of violence and terrorism against them, and any violations or transgressions of international law, including international humanitarian law, by any party. This condemnation extends to the targeting of civilian infrastructure.

They stressed the importance of the international community, especially the Security Council, assuming its responsibilities to seek peace in the Middle East. This includes expeditious, genuine, and collective efforts to resolve the conflict and implement a two-state solution based on relevant UN resolutions, ensuring the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with contiguous territory, viable for life, along the lines of pre-June 4, 1967, borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.

The statement denounced forced individual or collective displacement and policies of collective punishment. It strongly opposed any attempts to settle the Palestinian issue at the expense of the Palestinian people and the peoples of the region. The forced displacement of the Palestinian people is deemed a grave violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime.

The signatories underscored the need to fully commit to ensuring the complete respect for the Geneva Conventions of 1949, particularly concerning the responsibilities of the occupying force. They also stressed the importance of the immediate release of hostages and civilian detainees, ensuring safe, dignified, and humane treatment for them in accordance with the international law. The role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in this regard is highlighted.

The statement emphasized that the right to self-defense, as outlined in the UN Charter, does not justify flagrant violations of international law and humanitarian law, or the deliberate neglect of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and an end to the decades-long occupation.

The signatories called on the UN Security Council to compel parties to the conflict to an immediate and sustainable ceasefire. They stressed that hesitation in characterizing blatant violations of international humanitarian law serves as a green light for the continuation of such practices and complicity in their commission.

Furthermore, the statement urged action to ensure and facilitate rapid and sustainable access for humanitarian aid to Gaza without obstacles, in accordance with relevant humanitarian principles. It called for the mobilization of additional resources in collaboration with the UN and its affiliated organizations, especially UNRWA.

Expressing deep concern over the possibility of the current confrontations expanding and the conflict spreading to other areas in the Middle East, the signatories appealed to all parties to exercise maximum restraint. They underscored that the expansion of this conflict would have severe consequences on the peoples of the region and international peace and security.

The statement also expressed profound concern about the escalating violence in the West Bank and called on the international community to support and enhance the Palestinian Authority. Financial assistance to the Palestinian people, including through Palestinian institutions, is deemed to be of utmost importance.

The signatories affirmed that the absence of a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict led to the recurrence of violence and suffering for both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples and the peoples of the region.

Two state solution blocks Saudi-Israel peace deal, says Pompeo

It could be impossible to establish a Saudi Arabia-Israel peace deal if a prerequisite is the Palestinians receiving or accepting a Palestinian state, according to former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo.

Pompeo helped orchestrate the Abraham Accords under former US president Donald Trump, which normalized relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain.

Pompeo told The Jerusalem Post that it is impossible to imagine a two-state solution with the current Palestinian leadership who is underwriting terrorism, taking money from Iran, paying citizens to kill Israelis.

“It is very difficult to imagine how one would strike a deal with the very leaders that have rejected every reasonable offer with which they have been presented.”

Pompeo spoke to the Post the day after Saudi Arabia’s first ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, Nayef al-Sudairi, visited Ramallah. During his visit, al-Sudairi emphasized that creating a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital would be a fundamental cornerstone in any prospective agreement with Israel.

“The Arab Peace Initiative is the central point of any upcoming agreement,” al-Sudairi said.

Saudi Arabia Peace Initiative was initially ratified by the Arab League in 2002 and subsequently reaffirmed in 2007 and 2017. It requires a complete withdrawal of Israel from the West Bank and Golan Heights, establishing a Palestinian state with eastern Jerusalem as its capital, and a just settlement of the Palestinian refugee crisis.

In speaking about normalization with Saudi Arabia at the United Nations General Assembly last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We must not give the Palestinians a veto over new peace treaties with Arab states. The Palestinians could greatly benefit from a broader peace. They should be part of the process, but they should not have a veto over the process.”

Similarly, in an interview with Fox News, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not mention a Palestinian state but only said that the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part.

He said, “We got to see where we go. We hope that we will reach a place that will ease the life of the Palestinians and get Israel as a player in the Middle East.”

Pompeo said every American president would support a normalization agreement – Democratic or Republican. He said it is in America’s interest to have security relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia and between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

He said peace would be more easily attainable with a Republican president, meaning one that understands the greatest threat to peace in the region is Iran.

He explained that the Abraham Accords advanced due to the Trump administration’s acknowledgment of Israel as America’s primary democratic ally in the region while identifying Iran as the leading state sponsor of terrorism and a significant threat to all other countries.

“When we isolate Iran, the region becomes more peaceful and prosperous,” Pompeo said.