The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stressed that the Israeli occupation is the longest occupation witnessed in recent history and has caused the current suffering of the entire Palestinian people. In a speech before the Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the United Nations, expressed surprise at the reluctance of a number of countries from participating in the 7th Provision on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories in spite of violations continued against the residents of the occupied Palestinian and Arab territories. He strongly condemned the Israeli occupation authorities' determination to build hundreds of new settlement units on the occupied East Al-Quds, pointing out that these measures aim to Judaize large parts of the West Bank, including Al-Quds, which is contrary to the will of the international community which reject any changes on the ground as well as against the Human Rights Law and the Charter of the United Nations. He added that this step aims to change the historical existing status of Al-Quds and inflame feelings of religious hostility leading to serious consequences. Al-Wasil called upon the entire world not to issue statements of condemnation and rejection, but to do what is necessary to hold Israel accountability of its crimes against the Palestinian people and its violation of the principles of international legitimacy and its resolutions. He stressed that solving the Palestinian Cause and lifting the suffering of the Palestinian people is one of the main pillars of the Kingdom's policy. The ambassador pointed out that a comprehensive, just and lasting peace will be achieved only with the full withdrawal of Israel from the Arab territories occupied in 1967 and establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Al-Quds as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and the international legitimacy's relevant resolutions. He added that there is no justification for the continuation of this conflict in light of the international consensus to end it based on the two-state solution. The Kingdom's permanent representative to the United Nations stressed the Kingdom's full support for all international initiatives and efforts aiming at keeping the peace process and the two-state solution hope surviving.
