Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN Dr. Abdulaziz Alwasil addressed the Security Council on Thursday that genuine peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without ending Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory.
Arab Group Demands Palestinian Statehood
Speaking on behalf of the Arab Group during a council session on Gaza, Alwasil said lasting peace requires Palestinians to exercise their “legitimate and inalienable rights,” foremost among them an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Furthermore, he voiced “extreme concern” over ongoing Israeli violations, including the targeting of civilians, settlement expansion, land confiscation, home demolitions and annexation, warning these actions threaten both regional and international stability.
Consequently, the Arab Group rejected all Israeli measures aimed at entrenching occupation or imposing sovereignty over Palestinian land, branding them “null and void” and a clear breach of international law and the UN Charter.
Ceasefire Efforts and Humanitarian Access
The group welcomed international efforts toward a permanent Gaza ceasefire and called for a comprehensive plan to protect civilians and revive a credible political track toward a two-state solution. Additionally, it condemned continued “massacres” against Palestinians and demanded immediate, sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza, rejecting any use of aid as political pressure or collective punishment.
Alwasil also condemned Israeli moves to annex parts of Gaza and displace residents, describing this as a violation of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan. Moreover, the group reaffirmed Jerusalem’s status as Occupied Territory since 1967 and called for preserving the status quo at holy sites.
Ultimately, Alwasil urged the council to fulfill its Charter responsibilities and the wider international community to act decisively to end the occupation and uphold Palestinian rights.
