New York, July 28 (QNA) - Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah affirmed that the Kingdom believes that achieving security, stability, and prosperity for all the peoples of the region begins with justice for the Palestinian people and enabling them to attain their legitimate rights, foremost among them the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Speaking at the opening session of the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France, Prince Faisal emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s stance on the Palestinian cause is not merely a political position, but a deeply held conviction that an independent Palestinian state is the true key to lasting peace in the region. He also highlighted the Kingdom’s commitment, since the beginning of the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the dangerous escalation in the West Bank, to providing immediate and sustained support, whether through humanitarian and relief aid or via backing for United Nations agencies such as UNRWA, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme, as well as support for the Palestinian Authority. The Saudi Foreign Minister stressed that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza resulting from war and grave Israeli violations must end immediately to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, hold those responsible accountable, and end the policy of impunity, in line with international humanitarian law. He underscored the importance of international cooperation through this conference and the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, aimed at supporting the Palestinian people in building their capabilities and empowering their national institutions. Prince Faisal praised French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement of France’s intention to recognize the State of Palestine, describing it as a historic step that reflects growing international support for the Palestinian right to statehood and helps create an international environment conducive to realizing the two-state solution. He said that the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted at the 2002 Arab League Summit in Beirut, serves as a comprehensive foundation for any just and inclusive solution. The Saudi Foreign Minister emphasize the importance of supporting the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, being a practical framework for following up on the outcomes of this conference and coordinating global efforts toward clear and time-bound steps to end the occupation and establish a Palestinian state. Concluding his speech, Prince Faisal called on all participating countries to join the outcome document, a shared roadmap toward implementing the two-state solution, resisting efforts to undermine it, and preserving the prospects for peace that are still possible should the will for it be there. (QNA)