Saudi FM: Commitment to two-state solution only way to prevent Gaza war reoccurring

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan attends the World Economic Forum special meeting in Riyadh on April 28, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 28 April 2024
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Saudi FM: Commitment to two-state solution only way to prevent Gaza war reoccurring

  • ‘It’s good that we hear most of our partners and the international community support that notion,’ Prince Faisal says

RIYADH: Only a real commitment to a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can prevent the war in Gaza from reoccurring, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Sunday.

“We in the region are not going to focus only on solving the crisis of the moment, we’re going to look at how we can solve the bigger problem in the context of Gaza. That is, a real commitment to a two-state solution, that is, a credible, irreversible path to a Palestinian state,” he told the World Economic Forum’s special meeting in Riyadh.

“That’s the only reasonable and credible solution that guarantees us from not having to come back to this same situation two, three, four years down the line.”

He added that it was up to the international community, especially those countries that have the most influence, and the UN Security Council to help implement the solution.

“It’s good that we hear most of our partners and the international community support that notion. Now we have to translate that into reality.

“We need to move from talk, to action, to concrete steps. And it can’t be left up to the warring parties. We, the international community, and especially those countries that have the most influence, the most impact, the Security Council have to step in,” he said.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry echoed Prince Faisal’s call and said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would not be resolved until a two-state solution came into effect.

“I’ve always advocated the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, because that’s the underlying problem. Until you resolve that … you will probably have a short-term pause, but it will recur with even greater vengeance. So we don’t want that, we want a solution to this once and for all,” he said.

Prince Faisal said the Kingdom would do everything it could to push in the direction of a two-state solution and that he was hopeful the international community would do the right thing and make the concept a reality.

“If we all agree that the Palestinian state and giving the Palestinians their right, is the solution that gives everybody what they need: security, stability, their rights, then we should all decide we’re going to invest all of our resources in making that happen.

“If we make that decision, the pathway will unfold before us, even if there are those that will try to stop it. There are levers clear, there are levers hidden, that can push us in that direction. So I want to be hopeful … and I know that we as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will do everything we can to push in that direction.

“And hopefully, the international community, given everything that has happened and given the risks involved in not doing the right thing, will come along, and we’re working with our partners, the Europeans among them and many others, to try and translate that intent into reality,” Prince Faisal said.


Turaif traces historical, cultural mosaic to pre-Islamic era

Updated 03 July 2025
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Turaif traces historical, cultural mosaic to pre-Islamic era

  • Evidence of Stone Age settlements in the region
  • Has Tapline, Kingdom’s first industrial heritage site

TURAIF: Located in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, Turaif governorate stands as a crossroads of ancient civilizations and a gateway to Iraq and the Levant.

The governorate is home to a range of rich cultural and heritage sites, many of which date back to pre-Islamic times.

Heritage Commission sign board at the archaeological site of Qasr Duqrah, located 40 kilometers southwest of Turaif governorate. (SPA)

Among the most prominent heritage landmarks is the archaeological site of Qasr Duqrah, situated 40 km southwest of the governorate.

Adjacent to it lies a mountain known as Aqran, also referred to as Duqrah Mount, which has been recorded under the Comprehensive Archaeological Survey Program.

Zahi Al-Khalawi, a member of the Saudi Historical Society, said the site is among the Kingdom’s most significant archaeological locations because there is evidence of human settlements dating to the Stone Age.

He said habitation at the site continued through the later Roman period (2 to 6 centuries C.E.) and persisted into the Umayyad era (661 to 750 C.E.).

Another landmark is the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, or Tapline, one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant industrial heritage sites.

The pipeline stretches from the east of the Kingdom to its north, passing through Turaif, and has been registered in the National Industrial Heritage Register.

Known as the Tapline, this oil pipeline stretches from eastern Saudi Arabia to the northwest, passing through Turaif. (SPA)

It is the first documented industrial heritage site in the Kingdom, representing the early stages of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry and its developmental and economic significance.

Also noteworthy is the culturally significant site of Qaru Turaif, a water source developed by the Tapline Co. in the 1950s to help settle nomadic communities by order of the late King Abdulaziz.

To the east of Turaif, about 25 km away, stands Jabal Umm Waal, a historic landmark and northern gateway into the Arabian Peninsula.

The mountain tells the stories of Bedouin life and the passage of trade caravans and pilgrims traveling from the Levant and Iraq. For centuries, it served as a safe route for travelers making their way southward.

 


Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank

Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank

  • Kingdom’s foreign ministry said the move would violate international laws

RIYADH: A government minister’s threat for Israel to apply full sovereignty over the occupied West Bank was strongly condemned by Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom “condemned and denunciated” the statement made by the Israeli official calling for the imposition of sovereignty over the Palestinian territory.

Such action would be a violation of international law, the statement said. Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to expand settlements on Palestinian land, the ministry added, while reiterating the Kingdom’s position on the importance of Israel abiding by international resolutions.

The statement followed comments from Israel’s Justice Minister Yariv Levin saying “the time has come” for Israel to apply sovereignty across the West Bank.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967 and has built dozens of settlements, deemed illegal under international law, across the territory.

The Saudi foreign ministry offered its support for the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate rights and in establishing a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

 


Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk

Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has announced the recall of 88,518 Anker portable chargers across multiple models due to a potential internal electrical short circuit that may cause overheating and pose a fire risk.

The ministry urged consumers to immediately stop using the affected products and contact Anker at the toll-free number 8008500030 to arrange a replacement or full refund, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Consumers can check if their device is included in the recall and start the replacement or refund process by visiting anker.com/mmrc2506.

Users are also advised to verify the model number of their charger against the list of affected products on the Defective Products Recall Center website ecalls.sa.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to consumer safety and stressed the importance of promptly addressing product defects to prevent potential hazards.


GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting

Updated 02 July 2025
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GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi participated in the 39th Meeting of the Directors-General of Passports of the GCC countries, held on Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Riyadh.

During the meeting, he reviewed the latest developments, including the Gulf visa project.

The passport departments of the interior ministries of GCC countries, through a series of joint meetings, are making efforts to launch a unified tourist visa project in the near future, the General Secretariat said in a report.

“Everyone is working as one team to keep pace with technological developments and security requirements in a world characterised by rapid change,” Albudaiwi said.


Saudi FM discusses regional developments in call with US secretary of state

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his US counterpart State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. (AFP)
Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi FM discusses regional developments in call with US secretary of state

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his US counterpart Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

During the call, Prince Faisal and Rubio reviewed US-Saudi relations and ways to enhance the strategic partnership between their countries. The latest regional and international developments were also discussed.