UK Foreign Secretary To Discuss Two-Nation Solution With Middle East Foreign Ministers

Britain is continuing its efforts to de-escalate the situation along the Gaza Strip as the humanitarian crisis worsens due to the Israel-Hamas war. The latest addition to it is the UK Foreign Secretary's visit to Saudi Arabia to consolidate diplomatic efforts.

On November 9, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is visiting Saudi Arabia to hold high-level talks with the foreign ministers of the Middle East.

This comes days after Defence Secretary Grant Shapps visited Saudi Arabia and urged the Gulf countries to act as mediators in the Israel-Hamas war.

The Foreign Secretary is visiting Saudi Arabia after the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting concluded in Tokyo.

The primary agenda of his meeting with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki and other foreign ministers of the region was to consolidate diplomatic efforts for a two-state solution.

Earlier, the UK government wholeheartedly supported Israel's right to defend itself by declaring war on Hamas after the gruesome Hamas attack on Israel.

However, Britain is working to prevent any escalation of the current Humanitarian crisis in Gaza and that means working together for a two-state solution.

The Foreign Secretary will push for a collective effort to get medicines and life-saving aid along the Gaza Strip through a humanitarian corridor as soon as possible. Britain is pressing to do this in as many routes as possible.

This comes at a time when over 8,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza including 3000 children while Israel refused to allow any aid to pass through the area.

James Cleverly will remind the foreign ministers of the region about Britain's commitment to preventing any escalation of the situation in Gaza and the necessity of increasing humanitarian aid.

The UK government is trying to take advantage of the foreign ministers gathering ahead of the League of Arab States emergency meeting in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The Foreign Secretary will especially focus on Lebanon and Yemen in his talks with the Middle East foreign ministers to prevent any escalation of conflict there. James Cleverly will also underline the UK's support to deter any counter-threats from making groups in the region.

Call for humanitarian pause in Gaza

Along with discussing ways of increasing medicines, fuel and water supply to the civilians trapped in Gaza including British citizens, the Foreign Secretary will also speak against the rise in settler violence in the region.

Through this condemnation, Britain is urging Israel to take action against those responsible for the settler violence and improve the situation in the West Bank. The Foreign Secretary will outline diplomatic efforts to achieve a viable two-state solution.

This comes at a time when a concept paper from the Israel Army showed that Israel was planning to displace Gaza civilians to Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and restrict their possible return with military action.

The G7 Foreign Ministers have already called for humanitarian pauses to the Israel-Hamas war for the safe passage of aid and the release of hostages including people from the UK

Speaking about his Saudi Arabia visit, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: "I have been focused on diplomatic efforts to secure the release of hostages, to ensure that foreign nationals can leave Gaza, to deter any escalation regionally and to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid at scale."

Cleverly further explained why it is essential to visit Saudi Arabia as he will meet with his counterparts in the region to explore how to quickly achieve lasting peace and a prosperous two-state solution for both Israelis and Palestinians.

This comes days after Britain sent vital equipment and life-saving aid for the Gaza civilians and increased assistance to Occupied Palestinian Territories to £30 million.

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, British ministers have been in constant touch with the international community and the Foreign Ministers of the region to prevent any spread of the violence in the neighbouring countries while supporting Israel's right to self-defence.