Israel-Palestine issues not insurmountable, says Saudi FM - Newstrends
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Israel-Palestine issues not insurmountable, says Saudi FM

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Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan

Israel-Palestine issues not insurmountable, says Saudi FM

NEW YORK: The issues between Israel and Palestine are not insurmountable and could be resolved through a negotiated process if there is serious political will, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told Arab News on Thursday.

“Obviously, there will have to be a negotiated process between Palestine and Israel to finalize all of the outstanding issues. We don’t see these issues as insurmountable,” he said.

“If there’s serious will — and we know from the Palestinian Authority that they’re ready and will come to address these issues in a reasonable and pragmatic way — we could have a Palestinian state in relatively short order, one that’s also very much sustainable and viable, and can live in harmony with its neighbors in Israel.”

He was speaking in New York on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, where the Gaza war has dominated world leaders’ discussions.

It was preceded by the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which was co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.

It resulted in the adoption of the New York Declaration, a comprehensive roadmap outlining tangible, timebound steps toward the peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The declaration, endorsed by the UNGA with overwhelming support, sets out a multi-dimensional framework addressing political governance, security, humanitarian aid, economic recovery and legal accountability.

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It also calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, its reunification with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority and the exclusion of Hamas, the establishment of a temporary UN-led stabilization mission, and a halt to Israeli settlement expansion.

Prince Faisal expressed hope that the two-state solution could be realized soon, describing it as the only viable path to lasting peace and stability in the region.

“Is it in the near future? I certainly hope it is because that’s the only pathway for hope, for all of us in the region to live in security and stability in a way that’s sustainable,” he said.

Prince Faisal noted that the foundations of a future Palestinian state are already established under international law, and that a sustainable peace would require final-status negotiations to move forward in good faith.

“The building blocks are there. It’s clear in the founding UN resolutions that established the State of Israel,” he said.

“There was also a clear understanding of the foundation of the State of Palestine. The 1967 borders are understood by international law to form the borders of the state of Palestine.

On the situation in Gaza, Prince Faisal emphasized the scale of the international response and humanitarian support, but warned that reconstruction must be part of a long-term solution, not another short-term fix.

“I think we’ve seen, just by the significant outpouring of aid just for the emergency relief of Gaza, that there’s a commitment to the rebuilding of Gaza,” he said.

“But what I do want to make clear is that it’s absolutely necessary that when we transition, hopefully soon, to a ceasefire, that this won’t be a temporary state of affairs.

“I think it’s unacceptable that we come to the international community to ask them to come together to rebuild Gaza when it was destroyed by Israel, only for the potential of the situation on the ground to exist where this could all happen again.”

He stressed the need for reconstruction efforts to be sustainable and tied directly to a political resolution.

“I think it’s absolutely critical, hand in hand with the immediate relief of the situation in Gaza, that that reconstruction be ensured to be sustainable, that we do it once and for all.

“And there again comes the need for a final agreement on the status of Palestine, through the Palestinian state.”

Prince Faisal also told reporters in New York that Arab and Muslim countries made clear to US President Donald Trump the dangers of Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

“Some countries made very clear to the president the danger of annexation of any type in the West Bank and the risk that poses not just to the potential of peace in Gaza, but also to any sustainable peace at all.

“And I feel confident that President Trump understood the position of the Arab and Muslim countries.”

Israel-Palestine issues not insurmountable, says Saudi FM

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Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

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Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

US President Donald Trump has made an unusual appeal to his supporters ahead of the November 3 election, telling them to turn out with their families and friends while declaring that he would “cheat like hell.”

Trump made the comments during a Republican gathering in Dallas, Texas, where he led attendees through a mock pledge intended to encourage them to support him and participate in the election.

After asking the crowd to raise their right hands and repeat after him, Trump urged his supporters to help bring their relatives and friends to the polls.

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He then made the controversial remark while discussing voter registration, saying he was unconcerned about whether he was registered and accusing his political opponents of being bigger “cheaters.”

Trump went on to encourage supporters to vote either on November 3 or before election day, ending the pledge with an appeal to God.

The president also joked that supporters who failed to vote could face divine punishment, telling the crowd they would “go to hell” if they did not turn out.

The remarks came as Trump sought to energise Republican voters ahead of the election, in which control of Congress is also at stake.

His comments are likely to attract attention because of the language he used during an event aimed at mobilising voters, particularly his reference to cheating and his claims about the conduct of his opponents.

 

Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election

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France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

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France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

At least 44 people were injured after a passenger train carrying 186 people derailed in northwestern France on Friday evening, with an 18-year-old woman among those injured and reported to be in critical condition.

The Rouen-Caen regional train derailed at about 7:45 p.m. local time near Cléon, in the Seine-Maritime department of Normandy, while travelling between the cities of Rouen and Caen.

The incident triggered a major emergency response, with authorities deploying about 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 emergency vehicles to the scene.

A mass-casualty emergency plan was activated to coordinate the rescue operation and treatment of those injured.

According to Rouen prosecutor Sébastien Gallois, 44 passengers were injured in the France train derailment, including the 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition.

The other 43 injured passengers were treated for less serious injuries.

The initial estimate of the number of injured passengers was lower, but the figure was revised to 44 after emergency teams completed their assessment of passengers at the scene.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the train was travelling between Rouen and Caen when the accident occurred.

A passenger identified as 24-year-old Louis described the moments before the train accident in France as frightening.

He said the train first experienced several jolts before the movement became increasingly violent.

“Suddenly there were a few jolts, and then after about three seconds it got stronger and stronger,” he told ICI Normandie radio.

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“I couldn’t stay in my seat any more. The windows partially shattered; the stones from the track came into the carriage. It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he said.

A police source said the train may have struck an unidentified object shortly before it derailed. However, authorities have not established whether the object was responsible for the accident.

The cause of the Cléon train derailment therefore remains under investigation.

The Rouen prosecutor said drug and alcohol tests conducted on the train driver were negative.

Police and railway investigators have begun examining the train, the railway infrastructure and the circumstances surrounding the derailment to determine what caused the accident.

The railway operator, SNCF Réseau, suspended traffic on the affected line and switched off electricity to the tracks to allow emergency workers to operate safely.

“The priority is to care for the passengers and then to restore safe operating conditions,” SNCF Réseau said.

The disruption affected rail services along the Rouen-Caen route, while other services connecting Caen with Le Havre were also affected.

Rail authorities worked to arrange alternative transport for passengers whose journeys were disrupted while emergency and investigative operations continued at the accident scene.

Passengers who were not seriously injured were moved away from the crash site as emergency teams attended to those requiring medical attention.

The prefecture urged members of the public to stay away from the affected area to allow rescue workers and investigators to carry out their duties.

The accident caused significant disruption to rail services across the region, with authorities prioritising the safety of passengers and the restoration of the affected railway line.

The investigation is expected to establish whether the train’s contact with the unidentified object, a problem with the railway infrastructure or another factor contributed to the derailment.

As of the latest reports, there were no fatalities recorded in the accident, while the 18-year-old woman remained in critical condition and the other injured passengers were receiving medical attention.

Authorities said investigations into the France train accident were continuing.

France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition

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Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

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Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

A holiday trip in Switzerland has ended in tragedy after a coach carrying 45 Dutch adults overturned in the eastern part of the country, killing five people and injuring the remaining passengers.

The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon on the road linking Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region. Police said the vehicle went off the roadway while passing through an area where construction work was taking place before overturning.

Three of those injured are in serious condition, while another 37 people sustained less severe injuries. The driver, who is also Dutch, survived the crash but was among those taken for medical treatment.

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Authorities have begun investigating the incident and are working to establish what caused the coach to leave the road.

Tour operator Oad said the company was devastated by the deaths and described the incident as a deeply shocking tragedy.

The crash took place close to Zernez, a popular gateway to Switzerland’s National Park, a large Alpine nature reserve in the Engadine valley.

 

Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland

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