The Sultanate of Oman has welcomed the announcement by the President of the French Republic regarding his country's recognition of the State of Palestine, made during the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held in New York.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Foreign Ministry, the Sultanate of Oman emphasised that this development represents an additional and encouraging step on the path to realising right and justice for the Palestinian people. It expressed its hope that all countries of the world would follow the lead of the vast majority of the international community in upholding the two-state solution in accordance with international law and United Nations resolutions.
Meanwhile, the Sultanate of Oman participated in the deliberations of the United Nations, held as part of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Omani delegation was headed by Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister.
Speaking on the occasion, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced strong support for international efforts to revive the two-state solution, emphasising that the establishment of a Palestinian state is "not a reward, but a right".
Guterres welcomed recent moves by several countries to mobilise support for the two-state solution, including pledges to recognise the State of Palestine.
In a powerful address, the UN chief described the situation in Gaza and the West Bank as "collective punishment" of the Palestinian people and a systematic destruction of Gaza. He also expressed deep disappointment over the absence of the Palestinian delegation from the conference, calling it a missed opportunity for dialogue and representation.
Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and stressed the urgent need for safe, full and unhindered access to humanitarian aid.
He warned that the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and escalating settler violence are striking at the heart of the two-state solution and must come to an end. He described the current situation as "morally, legally and politically untenable".
The Secretary-General underscored the critical need to preserve the prospect of a two-state solution before it is too late, cautioning that the alternative — a one-state reality — would deny Palestinians their basic rights, forcibly displace them from their land, and condemn them to a future under perpetual occupation. Such a scenario, he noted, would not bring peace and would only deepen Israel’s international isolation.
Concluding his remarks, Guterres stressed the importance of establishing a sovereign and secure Palestinian state, existing side by side with Israel, based on the pre-June 4, 1967 borders, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions. - ONA
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