KUWAIT CITY, Oct 31: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah said on Monday that a sustainable and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue based on the bi-state approach is the only way out of ongoing violence. “The only way to put an end to this cycle of violence that has continued for decades is to forge a sustainable and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue based on the Two State Solution that reaffirms the rights of Palestinians to a life of dignity and self-determination,” he addressed a celebration held by the UN Mission in Kuwait to mark the UN Day, which falls on October 24. He said that the State of Kuwait has been resolute in its demand for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza.

The State of Kuwait has continuously emphasized the need to ensure unimpeded access to essential humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people, who have long endured the devastating consequences of this conflict, he added. Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah said that the world today is facing multiple crises and it pains everyone to see the human tragedy currently unfolding in Gaza. “The most recent reports estimate that at least 8,000 Palestinians, among them over 3,000 children, have been killed since the outbreak of the conflict, 24 days ago,” he said. “I was deeply sorry to hear about the tragic loss of 35 UNRWA employees while trying to deliver vital aid to those in need in Gaza. My heartfelt condolences go out to their families, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time,” he noted. He went on to say: “On that note, the State of Kuwait is grateful to the United Nations and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for their efforts to de-escalate the situation and their commitment to providing much-needed humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza.”

On the United Nations Day, he said: “We are here to pay tribute to the unwavering dedication of an institution that, for seventy- eight years, has been an advocate of international harmony and progress and a symbol of hope for global unity.” He affirmed that through its pursuit of peace and development worldwide, the United Nations has saved millions of lives and improved millions more. “This occasion is an opportunity to say thank you and recommit ourselves to upholding the principles and goals enshrined in the United Nations Charter, namely strengthening international cooperation to ensure global peace, security, and prosperity,” Sheikh Salem Al-Sabah added.

Milestone
He pointed out that tonight’s celebration coincides with another significant milestone, namely the State of Kuwait’s 60th anniversary of its membership in the United Nations. “Our enduring cooperation and strategic partnership established over the years reflect our deep-rooted commitment to the mission and Charter of the United Nations. The distinguished partnership between Kuwait and the United Nations is marked by a number of significant milestones,” he added.

“The most important by far being the resolute stance taken by the international community, spearheaded by the United Nations Security Council, in liberating my country, Kuwait in 1991,” he noted. The success of this endeavor solidified the United Nations’ pivotal role in upholding global peace and security, he said, adding that this defining chapter remains one of the most compelling success stories of the United Nations. The Kuwaiti foreign minister concluded by saying: “Together, let us strive for a world where harmony, progress, and unity prevail.” For her part, UN Secretary-General’s Representative in Kuwait Ghada Al-Taher said Kuwait, since it joined the UN in 1963, has been an effective member of the international community, especially in humanitarian and development domains worldwide. She added that there should be more international cooperation amid the major regional challenges, mainly in occupied Palestinian territories. She congratulated the State of Kuwait for having been elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for three years starting from January 2024.

Meanwhile, Kuwait on Monday called to support the Palestinian people's right to choose, including the right for a comprehensive settlement in accordance with the two-state solution, international resolutions, mainly their rights for an independent state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem being its capital. The statement was revealed by the Kuwaiti UN delegation delivered by Diplomatic Attache Shahad Al-Munifiahead of the Third Committee of the General Assembly under the topic “hate speech”. Al-Munifiadded, “It is difficult for us to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, while the occupying Israel entity continues to direct systematic hate speech against the Palestinian people, describing them as less human and more savage … not as people with rights who stand by all international legal laws and norms.”

While adding that we are witnessing a “humanitarian catastrophe primarily as a result of what the brotherly Palestinian people suffer from continues aggression by the Israeli occupation forces and the deprivation of their human and basic rights”, reassuring Kuwait’s stance towards the Palestinian cause. She also pointed out that the world today is in dire need of expanding the culture of peace and forgiveness between religions, stressing that the manifestation of Islamophobia ignites the essence of hate and hostility between people.