Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan announces $90 million pledge to the Palestinian Authority during UN General Assembly meeting in New York. Image: Mezha.
(The Post News) – Saudi Arabia pledged $90 million to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Thursday and launched a new international coalition for support of Palestinian statehood. The action reiterates Riyadh’s stance that normalization with Israel can’t continue until an independent Palestinian state is formed.
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan made the commitment at a news conference in New York following his chairing of an assembly of the Global Coalition to Implement the Two-State Solution. The coalition, co-hosted by the European Union and Norway, convened on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Saudi Arabia’s Push for Palestinian Statehood
Prince Faisal emphasized that the Kingdom will only recognize Israel if it is through a two-state solution. “This partnership is a reflection of a historic consensus that the Palestinian state is no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when,” he announced.
The Saudi envoy noted that 159 countries officially recognize Palestine, representing an unmistakable majority of the United Nations. This wave of recognition, he said, and the support of the New York Declaration marked a turn in world opinion that cannot now be reversed.
Ministers, at the first meeting of the coalition, enumerated short-term priorities:Securing a Gaza ceasefire and preserving the territorial integrity of Gaza and the West Bank. Building up the Palestinian Authority to acquire full control.
Prince Faisal further asserted that Arab and Muslim countries warned U.S. President Donald Trump of the dangers of Israel’s annexation strategy. He said Riyadh is coming to Washington to persuade Israel towards peace. “Halt the war in Gaza to open the door to the two-state solution,” he told reporters.
The Palestinian Authority praised the pledges, stating that they are important to sustain operating services while Israel withholds tax revenues garnered in its name. Aside from the Saudi $90 million, Germany and Spain pledged further, bringing early contributions to at least $170 million.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa’s office called the funds a lifeline but said that the PA had requested $400 million for six months. If the funding were not continued, the PA warned that schools, hospitals, and social programs were likely to collapse.
PA spokesman Mohammad Abu Al-Rob called Israel’s decision to freeze revenue transfers a move that cut off approximately 68 percent of the authority’s budget. “Who can continue to work when they lose 60 percent of their income?” he questioned. “Which government can continue services under such conditions?
The West Bank is also being squeezed by growing economic hardship. Schools opened behind schedule this year and remain open only three days a week. Hospitals reported running low on medicines, while two months ago, cash assistance to the very poorest families stopped. Poverty has risen by more than 150 percent since the start of the Gaza war.
At the same time, Israel reinforced checkpoints and reduced work permits for Palestinians seeking employment in Israel. The closures, together with the suspension of tax transfers, have brought the PA to the brink of bankruptcy.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich defended his policy of withholding funds, vowing to “strangle” the PA financially to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
Abbas Rejects Role for Hamas
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, appearing to the UNGA by video, greeted the coalition but made clear that Hamas would be excluded from any future Palestinian administration. Hamas has ruled Gaza since 2007, forcing the PA into the background in the strip.
Abbas appealed for international allies to maintain financial and political support, framing the coalition as a turning point for Palestinian statehood. For Riyadh, the coalition re-establishes itself as a regional power broker. Saudi officials would prefer to have Arab, Islamic, and European allies sign on to a two-state model before negotiating any normalization agreement with Israel.
“The Kingdom will continue to engage with partners with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace through this process,” Prince Faisal said. “We believe strongly that a sovereign Palestinian state can and should become a reality in the very near future.”
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