Palestinian state only solution to Middle East unrest: Saudi ambassador to U.S.

Princess Reema bint Bandar (SPA)

DAVOS: The topic of normalization of relations with Israel cannot not be discussed as long as Israeli forces continue to kill Palestinian civilians, the Saudi ambassador to the United States has said.

“The Kingdom has continuously extended a hand for peace, but when we look at the other hand, which has carried the Palestinian people toward statehood, that is a responsibility we take seriously,” Princess Reema bint Bandar said.

“The Kingdom’s policy is a finite, irrevocable path that means ‘today’ for the Palestinian people, Reema, who made history by becoming the first Saudi woman ambassador, said during a panel discussion in the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The diplomat stressed that security in the Middle East region depends solely on Palestinians getting their own state.

Saudi Arabia fully recognized Israel’s need and desire for security following the October 7 attacks by Hamas militants, she stressed.

However, that security would not come “at the expense” of the safety of the Palestinian people, and there is a need for an immediate ceasefire, she said.

“How many more children need to die? How many more limbs need to be lost? How many more parents need to lose their livelihoods? It cannot happen anymore; the Kingdom has condemned violence on both sides,” she said.

Princess Reema noted that the Middle East is united in its calls for peace in Gaza, while acknowledging that the region is going through a volatile period.

Princess Reema said, during the Saudi-focused panel discussion, that the Middle East recognized the “daily shock” of the Gazan people, and highlighted that it is vital to “do the right thing for the future.”