
Speaking at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, the Crown Prince characterised the Israeli military operations against Palestinians as collective punishment that defies principles of religion, law and humanity, while reiterating Kuwait’s backing for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He encouraged further state recognitions of Palestine, and called on global actors to step forward in solidarity.
His intervention comes amid a flurry of diplomatic initiatives centred on a U. N.-endorsed “New York Declaration” launched at a high-level conference co-hosted by Saudi Arabia and France, which seeks to galvanise international consensus for concrete, irreversible measures toward implementing a two-state framework. That declaration has since secured overwhelming support in the General Assembly, with 142 member states endorsing it.
The Crown Prince criticised persistent double standards in international law enforcement that, he argued, allow some violations to go unchecked while selectively punishing others. In his address, he also urged the UN Security Council to undergo reform in order to enhance credibility, transparency and equitable representation for all nations. He praised the leadership of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and stressed the importance of efficiency and procedural legitimacy in multilateral bodies.
Kuwait’s posture conforms with a broader Gulf alignment: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has thanked Macron for recognising Palestine and reaffirmed commitment to the two-state solution, while signalling readiness to advance implementation against unilateral and annexationist policies.
International reaction to Kuwait’s remarks has been muted in comparison to louder endorsements from other capitals, but some analysts view its stance as meaningful. Kuwait is not traditionally regarded as a frontline diplomatic broker in the Israeli-Palestinian arena, yet its positioning alongside Saudi and French efforts may strengthen the legitimacy of the collective push and widen Arab support for the diplomatic track.
Kuwait’s own interests in regional stability, refugee flows and Gulf solidarity factor into its renewed posture. During his speech, Sheikh Sabah also touched on broader regional matters: he reaffirmed support for Syria and Lebanon’s sovereignty, underscored solidarity with Qatar over border attacks, and called for resolution of pending disputes with Iraq, including maritime boundary demarcation.
Observers suggest that Kuwait’s renewed voice may help moderate Arab Gulf states’ influence on multilateral forums and serve as a bridge between more assertive diplomatic actors and those that have been reticent. Still, with Israel and the United States having declined participation in the co-hosted conference, the road ahead for diplomatic traction remains steep.
Kuwait’s contribution highlights evolving Gulf dynamics in Middle East diplomacy—shifting from energy and security alignment toward more visible roles in regional peacemaking. Its call for UN institutional reform and criticism of selective enforcement add nuance to the diplomatic debate over fairness and credibility in the system.
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