Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar called this Saturday for “irreversible measures” to recognize Palestine and implement the two-state solution, while rejecting an Israeli military operation in Rafah, in the southern tip of the Gaza Strip.
This was expressed in a statement at the end of a meeting held in Riyadh among the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Faisal bin Farhan; Egypt, Sameh Shukri, and Jordan, Ayman Safadi; in addition to the diplomatic advisor to the president of the UAE, Anwar Gargash; the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Mohamed bin Abdelaziz, and the Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs, Hussein al-Sheikh.
They also stressed “the need to end the war in the Gaza Strip, reach an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire” and guarantee the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, at a time when the talks for a truce between Israel and Hamas are experiencing certain difficulties.
This “consultative” ministerial meeting took place the day before the start of the special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Saudi Arabiawhich will last until Monday and will focus on the turbulent situation in the Middle East, especially the war in the Gaza Strip.
Some of the “key actors” for de-escalating the conflict will attend the WEF meetinglike the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who after leaving Riyadh will head to Israel, according to the organizers.
The Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, will also participate; Germany, Annalena Baerbock, and France, Stéphane Séjourné, as well as the head of diplomacy of the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell, among others.
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2024-05-06 11:05:14
