Mustafa: The Palestinian cause is not merely humanitarian but political—solved only by ending the occupation and realizing statehood

Mustafa: We count on the New York Peace Conference to yield concrete steps to preserve the two-State solution, gain broader recognition, and secure support for Palestine

RAMALLAH, June 11, 2025 | Prime Minister’s Office – Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa emphasized on Wednesday the urgent need for concrete and serious steps to halt Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people and to end the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. He underscored that the Palestinian cause is not solely a humanitarian issue, but fundamentally a political one—requiring an end to the occupation and the realization of the independent Palestinian state.

This came during his meeting with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Ramallah, in the presence of Minister of Social Development Samah Hamad and Switzerland’s Representative to Palestine, Ms. Anne-Lise Hénin. The discussion focused on efforts to stop the Israeli war on Gaza and coordinate positions ahead of the upcoming High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, scheduled to take place in New York on 17 June 2025.

Prime Minister Mustafa also stressed the need to open Gaza’s crossings and end the exclusivity of the current aid distribution mechanism. He called for reliance on experienced and mandated international organizations—particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)—to lead relief and humanitarian efforts in the Strip.

“We place high expectations on the upcoming Peace Conference in New York,” Mustafa said, “hoping it will deliver actionable outcomes to safeguard the two-State solution, secure additional recognitions of the State of Palestine, and mobilize financial and economic support, as well as backing for institutional reform and development efforts.”

He further expressed hope for a stronger Swiss role, citing Switzerland’s principled support for the two-State solution, and thanked the Swiss government for its continued humanitarian assistance to Palestine and its backing of UNRWA.

For his part, Swiss Foreign Minister Cassis stressed the need for Israel to respect international humanitarian law and to ensure the unimpeded delivery of aid to Gaza amid the worsening humanitarian catastrophe. He also expressed Switzerland’s support for a ceasefire and launching a roadmap for achieving peace based on the two-State vision, alongside continued support for the Palestinian Authority and efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.