ROME: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called for action on Wednesday to hold Israeli settlers accountable for violence against Palestinians, warning that continued attacks and illegal settlement expansions were threatening the prospects of a two-state solution.
Speaking at a high-level interfaith dialogue meeting in Rome, Prince Faisal urged an immediate end to attacks in the occupied West Bank that, he said, were being carried out with the protection or support of Israeli security forces.
He welcomed measures adopted by several international states, including bans on imports from Israeli settlements, sanctions against individuals responsible for serious human rights violations, and travel restrictions on settlers involved in acts of violence.
Prince Faisal called for additional steps to strengthen accountability, saying such violations should not be allowed to go unpunished as they undermined prospects for peace and violated Palestinians’ rights to life, security, dignity and self-determination, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The remarks came amid growing international concern over violence in the occupied West Bank, and following a clash on July 24 between villagers and Israeli settlers in Tal, southwest of Nablus, which killed four Palestinians and two Israelis.
Since then, Israeli forces have carried out widespread military raids, arrests and house demolitions across the West Bank.
The UN has repeatedly warned of record levels of settler violence, while several Western governments, including Britain, Canada, Australia and members of the EU, have imposed sanctions on extremist settlers and organizations accused of involvement in attacks on Palestinians.
Prince Faisal also reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s rejection of any attempts to alter the historic and legal status of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
He warned against repeated provocations at Al-Aqsa Mosque and attacks on religious sites, saying such actions inflamed religious tensions and further diminished the chances of achieving lasting peace.
Addressing the event, Prince Faisal said that lasting security could not be achieved while Palestinians were denied their legitimate rights.
The meeting, chaired by Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, brought together members of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution and international partners to discuss the role of interfaith dialogue in advancing the broader peace process.
Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia would continue working with the US, the Palestinian Authority and international partners to implement the comprehensive peace plan backed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and the New York Declaration, including initiatives to promote dialogue among followers of different faiths.
