European willingness to recognize Palestinian state…and continued Saudi pressure
Secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee, Hussein al-Sheikh, told Asharq al-Awsad, “There has been a major change in the positions of many countries in the world, especially in Europe, which many countries are preparing to recognize. The future Palestinian state, “this position implements a two-state solution in accordance with international law.” insists that
On Monday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan highlighted the pressure exerted by Saudi diplomacy to achieve its demand for recognition of a Palestinian state and the European trend towards it, days after the US defeated a draft resolution on security. The council called for the recognition of Palestine, prompting anger from the Palestinian Authority and criticism from Arab countries.
In an interview to the media following the “High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation” between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council in Luxembourg (Monday), the Saudi foreign minister revealed “a very important development”. “In the corridors of the European Union, a dialogue has started to develop, at least for some countries, to move towards the recognition of a Palestinian state,” he said, adding that a meeting of foreign ministers of the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council was set up “as an opportunity to push in this direction”.
Riyadh's emphasis on its position reached its peak last February, ahead of any deal with the US, including Saudi Arabia's prioritization of recognizing a Palestinian state and an end to the war in the Gaza Strip, and normalizing ties with Israel. In this regard, through a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs “in response to a statement by the spokesperson of the US National Security Council”.
The statement indicated that Riyadh had conveyed its firm position to Washington, “unless an independent Palestinian state is recognized with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 border, and will not have diplomatic relations with Israel until the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip ceases. All members of the Israeli occupation forces have been withdrawn from the Gaza Strip.”
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will hold a meeting with the secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organization executive committee early next week, an Arab source told Asharq Al-Awsad. The European Union, the Arab consultative meeting, and another with the US Secretary of State, and the file will be… The recognition of a Palestinian state is on the negotiating table.
Saudi position
In the same context, a spokesman for the Saudi embassy in the United States told CNN on Wednesday, “Saudi Arabia's position on establishing relations with Israel is conditional on ending the war in Gaza, recognizing the Palestinian state and establishing an irreversible path. A two-state solution and the establishment of Palestine.” As for the timetable, the spokesperson emphasized that Riyadh is working hard to achieve this quickly.
Saudi weight
For his part, Al-Sheikh said, “Saudi political action regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict stems from its consistent, firm and clear historical position to support and teach the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.” In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Riyadh “through its peaceful diplomacy, in partnership with Arab brothers and friends around the world, is using its Arab, Islamic and international weight to mobilize this movement to isolate Israel. Condemning its behavior and positions on the one hand, and supporting the Palestinian right wing on the other.”
Sheikh added that the action's priorities are “the cessation of the criminal war in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and the withdrawal of Israel, and the existence of a political plan that achieves an almost international consensus based on the resolutions of international legitimacy and international law.” End the Israeli occupation and lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“Under Saudi Arabia's leadership of this movement, we see many accumulated achievements at all regional and international levels,” Sheikh emphasized.
European change
The Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization said, “At the level of many countries in the world, especially in Europe, many countries are preparing to recognize the Palestinian state in the future. This position facilitates the two-state solution under international law.
He continued: “Within the Arab six-party framework, we seek to improve the positions of others from European and other countries to achieve the same desired goal of this movement.”
Support the truth
Although the US has stressed its support for a two-state solution since the war in the Gaza Strip began on October 7, it used its “veto” against the draft resolution in the Security Council (Friday). The failure of the United Nations General Assembly to grant membership to Palestine, Hussein al-Sheikh said, “is the greatest proof of America's isolation in its position and its use of its veto power in public. And its open stance against international will, but the world is famous and official for our Palestinian people's struggle for just rights and freedom and independence. is biased.
He continued, “The official and popular reaction to the United States' use of its veto in the face of this resolution contributed positively to strengthening the confidence of many countries of the world in the need to accelerate the recognition of the Palestinian state and its full membership in the United Nations.”
He justified this by saying, “The international community is aware of the injustice done to the Palestinian people, the US cover for the occupation in its practices and occupations, and the disregard for international law. The positions of many countries have risen to support the Palestinian right in the face of injustice and Israeli occupation.
Saudi efforts to seek recognition away from the international track
For his part, Abdulaziz bin Saqr, head of the Gulf Research Center, affirmed, “Saudi Arabia is making diligent diplomatic efforts to encourage a large number of European countries to recognize the Palestinian state bilaterally, without waiting for international success. It is expected that “there will be no recognition of the State of Palestine in the United Nations”.
Bin Sakr listed the importance of recognizing a Palestinian state, the most important of which was that it would “represent the salvation of a two-state solution, and contribute to the success of peace efforts in the region by giving confidence to Palestinians who send Israel the need to change its approach.”
But to achieve this, bin Saqr said, negotiations between the US side and the Arab six-party states will continue to end the war in Gaza, establish a Palestinian state, and the security and stability of the region. An effort to bring visions closer, take irreversible steps towards a political process and end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and prevent the crisis from escalating into a regional war.
142 countries have recognized Palestine
On Wednesday, Jamaica's Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith announced her country's recognition of Palestine, becoming the 142nd country to recognize the Palestinian state, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, for his part, on Thursday reiterated Madrid's commitment to recognizing the state. Palestine. He said a two-state solution was the only way to peace and security in the region.
As for Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin, he announced on Wednesday that his country would work with like-minded countries in the European Union to recognize a Palestinian state.
