Saudi Arabia wants a Palestinian state to go ahead with normalization with Israel and calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza – BBC News Arabic

In this context, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that the Gaza Strip had been “systematically destroyed,” and asked Israel to reverse the decision to ban the organization.

Lazzarini stressed that the attack on UNRWA “is motivated by political reasons aimed at getting rid of Palestinian refugees.”

Fawaz Kaseb Al-Anazi, a researcher in strategic and security issues, believes that Riyadh’s hosting of the first meeting of the international coalition to implement the two-state solution “shows a trend in the dynamics of international politics and the role of the United Kingdom. Saudi Arabia in leading regional peace efforts.”

It is expected that a representative of the League of Arab States, a representative of the Palestinian Authority, Arab countries such as Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, a representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Turkey, will attend the first meeting. Nigeria, Indonesia, as well as the European Union and Norway.

It is not clear whether the meeting will include countries that recently recognized the state of Palestine, such as Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Armenia.

Russia and China did not announce their participation in the meeting, despite their role in the Palestinian issue, as Moscow and Beijing recently held meetings to “bring together views between Palestinian groups.” “

Al-Enezi said in his interview with the BBC, “Saudi Arabia is playing the role of mediator and promoter for peace in the region, and it is moving to strengthen its role as a diplomatic leader in it the main regional issues, which shows his desire. to be an effective force for positive change, in line with its internal aspirations within Vision 2030.”

Al-Enezi commented on the absence of the United States from the meeting, saying: “The absence of the United States does not necessarily mean the failure of the alliance, but it could be an opportunity for European and regional countries to position themselves strengthen their and build strategic alliances with Saudi Arabia, which is committed to achieving a balance of power through new and effective alliances, which demonstrate the flexibility of its reasonable strategy to adapt to international transformations.”

Saudi Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, chaired a session of the Saudi Council of Ministers on Tuesday, in which he said, “We are looking forward to the first high-level meeting of the global coalition to implement a two-state solution. , which is being held in Riyadh, reaching practical steps to support international efforts and peace efforts, and setting an agenda.” “A timetable for the realization of an independent Palestinian state and the end of the occupation.”

Regarding the size of the participation of the meeting, Al-Enezi explained that it “carries strong political signals, and this international interest shows the desire of countries to connect with Saudi Arabia, because of its power economic and political which will allow him to achieve a new position. balance of power in the region, and that is what he guarantees the success of the meeting.”

“Saudi Arabia is committed to establishing a balanced network of alliances that will allow it to lead the regional agenda in a way that serves the goals of stability and peace, which is in line with the realist understanding of the nature of relations between countries that are focused on achieving national security and self-interests,” according to Al-Enezi.

For his part, Edmund Gharib, professor of international relations at Georgetown University, believed that “getting stability and peace in the region is important, so the meeting brings together many parties from inside and outside the area, some of which were very close. the situation for the American administration and the Israeli government.” , including some European countries that recognized Palestine as a state – considered an important move at this point. “

Speaking to the BBC, he said that the meeting is “an attempt to move urgently towards a ceasefire and to implement international resolutions related to the Palestinian issue, and ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.”

The European Union’s foreign policy officer, Josep Borrell, said that the launch of the global coalition is an opportunity for all countries to participate in ending the war in Gaza, working to stop the enemies to free it, lifting the siege on Gaza, and seeking a two-state solution, noting “the need to turn words into actions.”

Borrell confirmed that after the Riyadh meeting, the coalition committees will hold a meeting in Brussels, Cairo, Amman, Istanbul, and also in the capital of Norway, Oslo, to discuss the situation in Gaza until the implement a two-state solution.

Gharib says that if this is achieved, “calm will be shown in the region as a whole, and it will prevent an escalation in Israel-Iran relations, and also in relation to Yemen and the Houthis in the Sea region Red. “

“The main goal of the meeting is the two-state solution, which is a basic solution that many believe can be achieved,” according to Gharib.

Israel did not express any official position regarding the relevant Riyadh meeting on the implementation of the two-state solution.

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, said before the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) at the beginning of its winter session on Monday, October 28, 2024, that he “aims to achieve peace” with the Arab countries, explaining : “I aim to continue. the process i started. “A few years ago, by signing the historic Abraham Accords, to achieve peace with other Arab countries. “

A lecturer at the Center for Public Diplomacy in Israel, Golan Barhoum, confirmed that there is a desire in Israel for normalization with Saudi Arabia, with Israel’s understanding of “the Kingdom’s commitment to the Palestinian file.”

“Israel wants normalization with Saudi Arabia, and the peace agreements with Jordan and Egypt did not lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state, but they are committed to the Palestinian issue, and this could apply to Saudi Arabia,” according to Barhoum.

In his opinion on the establishment of a Palestinian state, Barhoum told the BBC that this “is a threat to Saudi and Gulf interests because its establishment gives additional energy to Iran and its arms in the Saudi border area” the best example of this,” noting that a large section of Israel “rejects the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.”

Barhoum emphasized that “Saudi Arabia’s commitment to establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital does not mean not recognizing the State of Israel and normalizing relations with it, with the need to continue the peace process to find a comprehensive peace agreement between Saudi Arabia. and Israel.”