ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its commitment on Monday to a two-state solution as the cornerstone of peace in the Middle East, calling for urgent international action to end the decades-long Israeli occupation and halt a worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the opening of a high-level conference on a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at the UN headquarters in New York, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the kingdom welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent pledge to recognize a Palestinian state officially.

“This step reflects a serious international move toward realizing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” he said.

On Thursday, Macron confirmed that Paris would officially recognize a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September.

So far, 149 of the UN’s 193 member states have recognized Palestine – a number that has steadily risen since Israel began its war on Gaza in October 2023.

The two-day conference, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, convened at the UN General Assembly and focuses on reviving peace talks and advancing the implementation of a two-state solution.

“Granting the Palestinians their legitimate rights is the real gateway to achieving peace in the region,” Prince Faisal said, calling for an immediate end to “the humanitarian catastrophe resulting from continuous Israeli violations.”

He described the UN gathering as a “pivotal moment” to revive momentum for peace and reiterated that the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative -- first proposed by Saudi Arabia at the Arab summit in Beirut -- remains a comprehensive framework for a just and lasting resolution.

The Arab initiative offers Israel diplomatic recognition in return for withdrawal from occupied Arab lands.

The top Saudi diplomat called for ending the Palestinian suffering in Gaza and holding Israel accountable.

“The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza caused by the Israeli war and violations must stop immediately to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, hold those responsible to account, and end the policy of impunity in line with international humanitarian law,” he said.

The UN conference comes as the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.