Riyadh Hosts 'Two-State Solution' Meeting

Saudi Arabia will host a 'high-level meeting' in Riyadh on Wednesday, November 1, aimed at taking practical steps to 'stop the cycle of violence' and 'set a timeline for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.' This meeting is organized by the 'Global Coalition for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution,' which was formed last month with the cooperation of Saudi Arabia and participation from Arab and European countries. Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Saudi Foreign Minister, stated that the main goal of this coalition is to create a 'Palestinian state' and that this action paves the way for 'peaceful coexistence' with Israel. Saudi Arabia considers the 'implementation of the two-state solution' as the best way to stop the cycle of violence in the region. This meeting is the first official gathering of the global coalition and includes representatives from Arab and Islamic countries such as Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria, and Indonesia, as well as representatives from the European Union and Norway. However, there has been no news of the Islamic Republic's representative attending this meeting. Saudi Arabia has clearly emphasized that the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel is contingent upon the formation of an independent Palestinian state, a topic that will also be discussed in the recent meeting. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday, October 30, that after ending Hamas's control over Gaza and pushing Hezbollah back from border areas, he wants to continue normalizing relations with other Arab countries within the framework of the 'Abraham Accords.' Some experts believe that the Islamic Republic's concern over the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia has been one of the main drivers of the Iranian government's support for the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ongoing attacks by Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other proxies of the Iranian regime against Israel over the past year. The emphasis by the United States and France at the UN Security Council on the need to strengthen the Lebanese army, the Madrid meeting to discuss ways to end the war in Gaza (with Israel not invited), the Israeli Foreign Minister's comments during a meeting with his German counterpart about Khamenei wanting to send weapons to the West Bank like Gaza, and the US's efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah while finding a way to establish a ceasefire are all significant developments. The Israeli National Security Minister's comments regarding Jewish prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque faced widespread global criticism. President Joe Biden emphasized at the end of the NATO meeting that Putin has failed in Ukraine, and NATO support is crucial. The new British Prime Minister contacted Netanyahu to call for deepening relations with Israel.