New York - His Excellency the representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdullah bin Yahya Al-Muallami, affirmed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands on a great legacy of principles and constants on which its foreign policy is based, on top of which is the constant trend towards peaceful solutions to disputes and preventing their escalation, and the adoption of mediation efforts that he shares The highness of the goal and the integrity of the destination, stressing the Kingdom's commitment to peace as a strategic choice and its interest and concern for the unity, sovereignty and integrity of Arab lands, and not accepting any prejudice threatening the stability of the region.

This came in the Kingdom’s speech delivered by His Excellency Ambassador Al-Mouallimi, today, 13 Jumada Al-Akhira 1442 AH corresponding to January 26, 2021 AD, to the UN Security Council in its session held under the item "The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue."

At the beginning of the speech, Ambassador Al-Muallami expressed the appreciation of the Kingdom's delegation to the Tunisian presidency of the Security Council for this month, its distinguished efforts and its constructive role, extending his thanks to the former United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nikolay Mladenov, for his tireless efforts during his term of office, and welcoming his successor, Thor Winsland. .

Al-Mouallami explained that the solution to the Palestinian issue constitutes the biggest challenges facing the region in order to achieve stability, security, prosperity and development, and the destructive role played by regional powers in the region constitutes a serious threat to security and stability, as these forces, through their expansionist agenda, seek to extend their influence without concern. With the adverse results of its hostile policies against the countries of the region, by supporting armed militias, terrorist groups and sectarian strife, indicating that without addressing these issues, the region will not be able to advance towards a better future for its peoples who have suffered from the ravages of strife, conflicts and wars.

His Excellency stressed the Kingdom's firm approach and its firm stances towards the Palestinian issue, and that this issue comes on top of the Kingdom's priorities and concerns, and that the Kingdom stands with the Palestinian people to reach a just and comprehensive solution in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative approved by the Arab Summit in 2002, which It calls for the complete withdrawal of Israel from all Arab lands occupied since 1967 and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

He referred to the kingdom's condemnation of Israel's decision to approve the establishment of 800 new settlement units in the West Bank, and its categorical rejection of this step as a new violation of international legitimacy decisions, a threat to peace and undermining the efforts of the two-state solution, stating that it is clear from this step that Israel continues its aggression against the Palestinian people. Concerned with the suffering inflicted upon the Palestinians generation after generation, from the usurpation of their lands, through the violation of their sanctities, the deprivation of their freedoms, their displacement, and the endeavor to legalize these hostile policies.

Ambassador Al-Muallami renewed the Kingdom's call on the international community and the Security Council to stand firmly towards these Israeli policies and push the peace process forward to reach an agreement that would restore the Palestinian people to their legitimate rights, as a just and comprehensive peace is the strategic choice, not the policies of fait accompli and brute force.

Al-Mouallimi said: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns the cowardly terrorist act that targeted Aden airport, coinciding with the arrival of the plane carrying members of the new Yemeni government, and condemns the terrorist attempt to target Al-Masheeq Palace. These terrorist acts do not target the Yemeni government only, but rather the hopes and aspirations of the brotherly Yemenis and attempt To thwart the Riyadh Agreement, which the Yemenis adopted as a way to unify ranks, restore normalcy, security and stability, and reach a comprehensive political solution in Yemen.

He pointed out that the Kingdom's government supports the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Yemen to reach a comprehensive ceasefire and start a comprehensive political process to reach the desired solution based on the three references (the Gulf Initiative and its implementation mechanisms, the outcomes of the Yemeni national dialogue and Security Council Resolution 2216), pointing out that The Kingdom's government holds the Iranian-backed Houthi militia responsible for the repercussions of the Yemeni crisis and the exacerbation of the humanitarian situation in Yemen, as the Houthi militia preferred narrow political interests over the interest of the Yemeni people and the security and stability of the region to serve the expansionist interests of the Iranian regime, calling on the UN Security Council to stand firmly against the Houthi’s violations of Houthi decisions Council related and its repeated aggression towards the territory of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its inhabitants.

Al-Mouallami added: The Kingdom also continues its relentless efforts to alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people and support the Yemeni economy, providing a large number of initiatives and measures to support and enhance the economic and humanitarian situation in Yemen, as the total amount provided by the Kingdom to Yemen since the start of the crisis reached about $ 17 billion.

And he added: On the contrary, Iran still poses a great threat to stability in the region, including Yemen, and its interference in Yemen has directly contributed to impeding the efforts of the United Nations to reach a political solution, as it provided all kinds of support to the Houthi coup militia in order to stir up discord. And destabilizing the security and stability of the region, the best proof of this is the appointment of a military figure belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as its ambassador to the Houthi coup militia, in flagrant violation of Security Council Resolution 2216 and the relevant international laws and diplomatic norms.

And he called for the need for the international community to cooperate to address the danger posed by Iran's policies to international peace and security with a comprehensive perspective that is not limited to its nuclear program only, but also includes its expansionary and aggressive activities, including its military and logistical support for terrorist militias, and the cessation of their activities that threaten the security and stability of the region in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. And other Arab countries, indicating that failure to address this will encourage Iran to go ahead with its destructive policies.

He reiterated that the Kingdom believes in the principle of dialogue and the peaceful solution of problems and disputes, stressing the need for the calls for dialogue to be consistent with an effective cessation of threats and hostilities.

At the end of the speech, Ambassador Al-Muallami expressed that the Kingdom's government hopes that what has been achieved by signing the “Al-Ola statement” agreement will be a new page in order to achieve security and stability in the region and its peoples, pointing out that the statement confirmed the close and established ties and relations between the Gulf Cooperation Council states that are based on the Islamic faith. A common destiny.