ROME: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called for action on Wednesday to hold Israeli settlers accountable for violence against Palestinians, warning that continued attacks and illegal settlement expansions were threatening the prospects of a two-state solution.
Speaking at a high-level interfaith dialogue meeting in Rome, Prince Faisal urged an immediate end to attacks in the occupied West Bank that, he said, were being carried out with the protection or support of Israeli security forces.
He welcomed measures adopted by several international states, including bans on imports from Israeli settlements, sanctions against individuals responsible for serious human rights violations, and travel restrictions on settlers involved in acts of violence.
Prince Faisal called for additional steps to strengthen accountability, saying such violations should not be allowed to go unpunished as they undermined prospects for peace and violated Palestinians’ rights to life, security, dignity and self-determination, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The remarks came amid growing international concern over violence in the occupied West Bank, and following a clash on July 24 between villagers and Israeli settlers in Tal, southwest of Nablus, which killed four Palestinians and two Israelis.
