Prince Turki Al-Faisal Condemns Israel Over Gaza Genocide, Criticizes Netanyahu, Supports Trump Ceasefire; Fayyad Urges US to Uphold 1967 Borders

Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former Saudi ambassador to the United States and former Saudi intelligence chief, condemned the war in Gaza as an unprecedented crime and accused Israel of genocide. He urged the international community to take action beyond sympathy. Prince Turki emphasized that Saudi Arabia will strongly advocate for global recognition of a Palestinian state and an imposed Israeli ceasefire at the upcoming New York peace conference, describing delays in recognition as unacceptable. He stated that normalization with Israel is contingent upon the establishment of a Palestinian state and criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government as obstacles to peace, accusing them of focusing on occupation and displacement rather than peace. Prince Turki also praised former U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts toward a Gaza ceasefire but called for increased pressure on Israel, asserting that the Israeli government does not desire peace. He criticized Western allies for their reluctance to condemn Israel, comparing Israel's actions in Palestine unfavorably to Russia's conduct in Ukraine. Prince Turki expressed disappointment if U.S. officials have dismissed the two-state solution and urged Washington to support Palestinian statehood and the upcoming peace conference. He reiterated that Saudi Arabia's position remains firm that Palestinian statehood is a prerequisite for normalization with Israel. Furthermore, he stated that Israel, not Hamas, should disarm and cease hostilities, with negotiations led by the Palestinian Authority as the path to a two-state solution. Meanwhile, former Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad criticized the United States for its silence on Palestinian statehood and called on Washington to affirm Palestinian rights and uphold the 1967 borders to maintain credibility as a peace broker.