Saudi Arabia reaffirms support for Palestinian Authority, warns on settlement expansion

Saudi Arabia participated in the ministerial meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) in support of the Palestinian people, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The Kingdom was represented by Manal Radwan, Special Envoy for Negotiations and Peace Efforts, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting was chaired by Norway, with joint sponsorship from the United States and the European Union, and focused on supporting the Palestinian Authority and its institutions.

In her remarks, Radwan reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for the Palestinian Authority, emphasizing the urgent need to address its financial crisis, ensure the full and prompt release of Palestinian clearance revenues, and not to tie financial commitments to the reform process.

Comprehensive political and economic support

Radwan highlighted the importance of coordinating and integrating humanitarian aid and reconstruction funding within a clear political framework that strengthens legitimate Palestinian institutions, preserves the unity of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and supports the return of the Palestinian Authority to assume its responsibilities in Gaza.

She stressed that economic support cannot be separated from realities on the ground, given the challenges facing Palestinian institutions. Radwan noted that settlement expansion, settler violence, and measures impeding geographic continuity undermine prospects for establishing an independent Palestinian state along 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.