ISTANBUL
Saudi Arabia hosted a high-level panel on Thursday in the northwestern city of al-Ula to discuss pathways toward peace between Israel and Palestinians and address the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
The session was part of the second and final day of the Munich Security Conference Leaders Meeting held in al-Ula, according to a statement by the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
Participants included Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, who joined via video link.
The discussion focused on the latest developments in Gaza, ceasefire initiatives, and international diplomatic efforts. Participants also highlighted the growing wave of formal recognition of the state of Palestine, which they said reinforces efforts to implement a two-state solution and strengthen regional stability.
The panel stressed the importance of enforcing international resolutions, halting humanitarian suffering, and ensuring the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The session followed this month’s recognition of Palestinian statehood by 11 countries - the UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Luxembourg, Belgium, Andorra, France, Malta, Monaco, and San Marino - bringing the total to 159 of the 193 UN member states.
Israel rejected these recognitions, calling them “unilateral” and claiming they undermine peace efforts.
The panel also discussed the Two-State Solution Conference, co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France in New York from July 28 to 30. The conference produced broad international consensus on the need to implement its declaration aimed at achieving peace, prosperity, and ending the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The Munich Security Conference Leaders Meeting brought together around 100 senior international officials to discuss key regional and global issues, including developments in Gaza, food security, climate, and energy.
The Israeli army has killed over 66,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.