Arab nations back 2002 peace proposal at UN two-state solution conference

Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel normalisation of ties in exchange for withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territories

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot chair a conference on Palestine and a two-state solution at the United Nations. AFP

Arab League states issued a unified call backing a peace initiative proposed in 2002 at this week's UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.

The Arab Peace Initiative offers full normalisation of ties between Israel and the Arab world in exchange for a complete withdrawal from territories occupied since 1967, a just solution for Palestinian refugees under UN General Assembly Resolution 194, and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel has long rejected the proposal.

“What we’re seeing today in Gaza, the withdrawal of stability and security in the region, is indeed the outcome of the ongoing occupation,” Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in a statement delivered to the conference by a spokesperson. “This is the price being paid by Palestinians, a price paid in blood.”

He added that the Arab League remains committed to the peace initiative proposed by Saudi Arabia and adopted at its summit in Beirut 23 years ago.

“This vision hasn’t, however, been reciprocated,” Mr Aboul Gheit said. “Rather, it has been countered by arrogance and nationalism based on religious sectarian views that will lead the region to an unknown future.”

Arab and Muslim countries at the UN conference in New York also joined a growing chorus of states calling on Hamas to disarm and relinquish control in Gaza, signalling rising frustration with the group.

“In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule … and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state,” read a joint declaration.

Kuwait's Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Ali Al Yahya said that extending the PA's authority over all Palestinian territory was “a fundamental step in building an independent Palestinian state”.

Khalifa Al Marar, UAE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called for international efforts to stop the war in Gaza and the adoption of a “clear, binding and irreversible road map” to establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian state.

“Every day that passes without a solution deepens the wounds and distances the chances of peace,” he warned.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa appealed for the UN conference to be “a turning point in which positions and declarations are translated into immediate and unprecedented practical steps to stop the genocide and end the Israeli occupation”.

“The world must act to stop the aggression, starvation and displacement, and send a clear message: Enough disregard for the life and dignity of Palestinians – Palestinians are human beings,” he said.

Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, Djibouti's Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, said any lasting settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict “cannot forgo” the foundation laid by the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which he described as a “constructive, balanced framework” and an “unavoidable model” for a just and comprehensive solution consistent with international law.

The UN conference aimed to resurrect long-stalled peace efforts and pave the way towards an independent Palestinian state. Foreign ministers from 15 nations, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand, issued a joint declaration on Tuesday expressing their willingness to recognise a Palestinian state and their commitment to a two-state solution.

Out of 193 member states of the UN, 143 already recognise the State of Palestine, which has observer status at the world body.