Saudi Arabia Promises Financial Support of up to 1 Billion US Dollars to Palestine

Flooding in the Gaza refugee camp. (Source: WAFA)

JAKARTA - Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said on Thursday that the Kingdom would provide financial support of up to 1 billion US dollars to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians, help address humanitarian needs, and advance efforts towards peace.

The statement was made by al-Jubeir during Saudi Arabia's participation in the first meeting of the Peace Council in Washington D.C., United States.

This new support is in line with Saudi Arabia's long-standing position of supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Al-Jubeir told the inaugural meeting of the Peace Council, Riyadh is working towards a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, as reported by Al Arabiya (20/2).

He also noted that the Saudi-proposed Arab Peace Initiative was originally intended as a framework for achieving peace.

Previously, US President Donald Trump said in the meeting that US$7 billion had been collected to be donated to the Gaza reconstruction fund, to rebuild the Palestinian enclave after the Hamas militant group disarmed.

In a series of announcements at the end of a long and rambling speech to representatives from 47 countries, Trump said the United States would contribute 10 billion US dollars to the Peace Council.

He said contributing countries had collected 7 billion US dollars as an initial down payment for Gaza reconstruction,

It is known that President Trump proposed the formation of the council in September when he announced his plan to end Israel's war in Gaza. The Peace Council includes Israeli representatives but does not include Palestinian representatives.

He then clarified that the scope of the council would be expanded beyond Gaza to deal with other conflicts around the world. President Trump's suggestion that the Council could eventually deal with conflicts outside Gaza has raised concerns that it could weaken the UN's role as the main platform for global diplomacy and conflict resolution.