Saudi Arabia says violence in Gaza must stop

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also comments on Yemen, Iran and Lebanon

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud poses during a photo session in Paris on May 18, 2021. AFP

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has said the kingdom is “pressing for an end to the escalation in Gaza”.

In a wide-ranging interview with Al Arabiya, Prince Faisal expressed the kingdom’s solidarity with Palestinians suffering in Gaza.

“On the American side, I sensed an understanding of the need to stop the escalation in Gaza," he said.

Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia supported the two-state solution to the conflict, with borders based on those from 1967 and East Jerusalem as the Palestinians' capital.

"We have made it clear to the active states the need to stop provocations in East Jerusalem,” he said.

Prince Faisal also said there would be “no stability without addressing the concerns of the countries in the region about Iran's behaviour”, and the issue of Tehan's ballistic missiles.

He said Saudi Arabia was committed to finding a political solution in Yemen, and that the ball was in the court of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

"We hope the Houthis will advance the interest of Yemen over the interest of the regional parties,” Prince Faisal said.

He said Saudi Arabia was concerned about the future of Lebanon but “it has to find a way to save itself”, and that Hezbollah’s influence on political decisions hindered any “real reform”.

On comments made by former Lebanese caretaker foreign minister Charbel Wehbe, in which he suggested that Gulf countries were responsible for ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Prince Faisal said: “To say the least, the comments are non-diplomatic.”

He said the kingdom had worked to stabilise and support the transitional process in Sudan during “an important and sensitive stage” for the African country.

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