Saudi upcoming meeting to shape Gaza's destiny
Shafaq News/ Saudi Arabia plans to host a meeting to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip with Arab and foreign officials, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. According to Bloomberg, the plan enjoys widespread support from US President Joe Biden.
The talks, scheduled for next Monday in Riyadh, may include British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron and officials from the European Union, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, and Palestine.
Bloomberg reported that Israel, which does not have diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and Hamas, is not expected to attend the Riyadh meeting.
The discussions will occur on the sidelines of the Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development.
The Saudi government did not comment on the news.
On Monday, Riyadh strongly condemned Israel's ongoing war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced "the relentless and egregious war crimes perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip," highlighting the recent discovery of mass graves at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
Expressing concern over the international community's inaction in holding Israel accountable for its violations of international law, the statement said that "such impunity only leads to further atrocities and worsens humanitarian crises and infrastructure destruction in the region."
The kingdom urged the international community to fulfill its responsibility in halting Israel's attacks on Gaza civilians and ensuring accountability for the massacres committed.
Notably, Saudi Arabia and Israel, two major players in the Middle East, lack formal diplomatic ties, and Saudi Arabia doesn't recognize Israel's sovereignty.
However, Behind-the-scenes talks facilitated by the United States have sparked speculation about a potential thaw in relations. But the biggest roadblock on the path to normalizing relations remains the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Saudi Arabia has advocated for a two-state solution, with an independent Palestine existing alongside Israel.
So far, Israel has killed more than 34,500 Palestinians, mainly children and women, and injured about 78,000.
