Saudi Arabia calls for deploying international force in post-war Gaza to support Palestinian authority

Shafaq News/ Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Thursday backed the deployment of an international force in Gaza under a United Nations mandate to support the Palestinian Authority after the end of the war. 

Speaking at the European Council on Foreign Relations conference in Madrid, Prince Faisal highlighted the ongoing threats to the two-state solution posed by the Israeli actions in Gaza and the West Bank. "We witness daily actions in Gaza and the West Bank that threaten the two-state solution," he said, calling for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza.

Prince Faisal praised Spain and other nations for recognizing the Palestinian state, calling it a "glimmer of hope amid the erosion of the two-state solution."

Regarding Lebanon, Prince Faisal voiced concerns about the potential for broader conflict. "We are worried about the risk of the war expanding in Lebanon and see no political horizon," he said. He suggested that a ceasefire in Gaza might help reduce tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Since the Israeli-Hamas conflict erupted on October 7, Hezbollah and the Israeli military have engaged in almost daily exchanges of fire. Tensions have escalated significantly, coinciding with Israeli threats of a large-scale offensive on its northern front with Lebanon.

The United States has warned that it may ultimately be unable to prevent any Israeli military plans in this context.