Palestinian-Saudi talks held to implement outcomes from global 2-state solution meeting

By Awad Rjoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed Thursday the importance of and follow-up on implementing outcomes of a Global Coalition for Two-State Solution meeting.

The two officials discussed in a telephone call the significance of joint efforts to monitor and implement resolutions of the coalition’s first meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday to pursue a two-state solution, according to a statement from Mustafa’s office.

The prime minister emphasized the importance of unified positions advocated by the meeting, including the need for a cease-fire, humanitarian aid, withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, enabling Palestine to assume responsibility in Gaza, strengthening links between Gaza and the West Bank, supporting the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), and rejecting illegal Israeli decisions to prohibit the UN agency’s operations in Palestine.

The Knesset, or Israel’s parliament, passed a bill Oct. 28 banning UNRWA from operating, which would eventually affect its work in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The legislation will take effect in 90 days.

The agency, founded by a 1949 UN General Assembly resolution, provides aid and protection to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.

The Israeli army has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack last year by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 43,160 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 101,500 injured, according to local health authorities.

The onslaught has displaced almost the territory’s entire population amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

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

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala