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NEW YORK: The issues between Israel and Palestine are not insurmountable and could be resolved through a negotiated process if there is serious political will, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told Arab News on Thursday.

“Obviously, there will have to be a negotiated process between Palestine and Israel to finalize all of the outstanding issues. We don’t see these issues as insurmountable,” he said.

“If there’s serious will — and we know from the Palestinian Authority that they’re ready and will come to address these issues in a reasonable and pragmatic way — we could have a Palestinian state in relatively short order, one that’s also very much sustainable and viable, and can live in harmony with its neighbors in Israel.”

He was speaking in New York on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, where the Gaza war has dominated world leaders’ discussions.  

It was preceded by the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which was co-chaired by �������� and France.

It resulted in the adoption of the New York Declaration, a comprehensive roadmap outlining tangible, timebound steps toward the peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The declaration, endorsed by the UNGA with overwhelming support, sets out a multi-dimensional framework addressing political governance, security, humanitarian aid, economic recovery and legal accountability.

It also calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, its reunification with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority and the exclusion of Hamas, the establishment of a temporary UN-led stabilization mission, and a halt to Israeli settlement expansion.

Prince Faisal expressed hope that the two-state solution could be realized soon, describing it as the only viable path to lasting peace and stability in the region.

“Is it in the near future? I certainly hope it is because that’s the only pathway for hope, for all of us in the region to live in security and stability in a way that’s sustainable,” he said.

Prince Faisal noted that the foundations of a future Palestinian state are already established under international law, and that a sustainable peace would require final-status negotiations to move forward in good faith.

“The building blocks are there. It’s clear in the founding UN resolutions that established the State of Israel,” he said.

“There was also a clear understanding of the foundation of the State of Palestine. The 1967 borders are understood by international law to form the borders of the state of Palestine.

On the situation in Gaza, Prince Faisal emphasized the scale of the international response and humanitarian support, but warned that reconstruction must be part of a long-term solution, not another short-term fix.

“I think we’ve seen, just by the significant outpouring of aid just for the emergency relief of Gaza, that there’s a commitment to the rebuilding of Gaza,” he said.

“But what I do want to make clear is that it’s absolutely necessary that when we transition, hopefully soon, to a ceasefire, that this won’t be a temporary state of affairs.

“I think it’s unacceptable that we come to the international community to ask them to come together to rebuild Gaza when it was destroyed by Israel, only for the potential of the situation on the ground to exist where this could all happen again.”

He stressed the need for reconstruction efforts to be sustainable and tied directly to a political resolution.

“I think it’s absolutely critical, hand in hand with the immediate relief of the situation in Gaza, that that reconstruction be ensured to be sustainable, that we do it once and for all.

“And there again comes the need for a final agreement on the status of Palestine, through the Palestinian state.”

Prince Faisal also told reporters in New York that Arab and Muslim countries made clear to US President Donald Trump the dangers of Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

“Some countries made very clear to the president the danger of annexation of any type in the West Bank and the risk that poses not just to the potential of peace in Gaza, but also to any sustainable peace at all.

“And I feel confident that President Trump understood the position of the Arab and Muslim countries.”

LONDON: The chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council on Thursday urged the international community to support a Libyan-led political process that restores the country’s full sovereignty, ends foreign interference, and paves the way for free and transparent elections.

Addressing the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Mohamed Al-Menfi said his country must no longer be treated as a “battleground for settling scores or exporting crises,” but as a nation with the resources, youth and history to build a modern and democratic state.

He outlined a four-point plan for moving beyond years of conflict: restoring national sovereignty free from external interference; achieving broad-based consensus through inclusive dialogue inside Libya; unifying sovereign institutions such as security, defense and financial bodies; and ending the transitional phase with elections based on a clear constitutional framework.

“Any solution that doesn’t return ownership of the political process to the Libyan people, and doesn’t emanate from their free will, is doomed to repeat failure,” he said.

Al-Menfi highlighted efforts to preserve stability and avoid renewed violence, pointing to the October 2020 ceasefire agreement and security arrangements in Tripoli as evidence of progress. 

He said “Libyan blood is a red line,” and the country’s sovereignty, unity and social fabric are non-negotiable.

Speaking about the Libyan economy, he highlighted the challenges posed by institutional division and the absence of a unified budget, but said the country still has the capacity to play a pivotal role in its own recovery. 

He called for greater global support for economic development, including through the High Financial Committee and UN cooperation, to unify public spending and ensure fair wealth distribution.

Turning to the issue of migration, he urged the international community to move away from narrow security responses and adopt a detailed developmental approach in partnership with the African Union. 

“Irregular migration isn’t merely a security issue, but a humanitarian challenge rooted in deep economic causes,” he said.

On Palestine, Al-Menfi condemned the “unethical neutrality” by some UN member states regarding Israel’s war on Gaza, as well as “crimes of genocide and blatant violations of international law” against the Palestinian people. 

He called for urgent international action to end the Israeli occupation and secure Palestinian rights.

Concluding his address, Al-Menfi urged the world to view Libya as “a story of resilience and will” rather than as a complicated political problem to avoid.

“Libya’s future is that of a sovereign, stable state, united in its institutions, strong through its people, reconciled with itself, open to the world, and an active partner regionally and internationally,” he said.