Unbiased, word for word. From the Nations Capital to wherever you are, because the opinion that matters the most is your own. This is what democracy looks like. Cspan powered by cable. Delaware democratic senator chris coons talked about the humanitarian crisis in gaza and other global challenges during the World Economic forum in davos, switzerland and he was joined by leaders from n. A. T. O. And discussed using diplomacy to resolve conflicts. This is 50 minutes. Good afternoon. Welcome to the session on securing and insecure, of course, im biased, but this is one session in davos, you should go to it, it should be this one. Youve done a good choice and in this panel, i think were also going to get enlightened. We are faced with the most complex geopolitical backdrop in any davos in the last decades. Id like that we can make an insecure world a bit more secure. On my left, i have the federal minister affairs, germany and then we have his highness, saudi arabia, and then we have senator chris coons from the u. S. Delaware, the former seat of President Biden. And then we have youssef, the minister of Foreign Affairs, and how many days have you been in the job . Sound like forever, but since august. They say being a foreign minister, one, theyre dog years. I think dog years is seven, is it . And then, we go also to the Finnish Foreign minister, welcome. And then i think doesnt need that much presentation and the secretarygeneral of n. A. T. O. So, give them applause to start. [applause] a little bit of the positive note. We will have to touch on the situation in the middle east, the danger of escalation, the latest development in the red sea, but of course, also, the ongoing war in gaza. We will also have to touch on the other war in ukraine. We also have to touch on what we just heard this morning, chinas premier and the g2, u. S. China, but also, the order that we left is gone post cold warld order, were in between orders so we dont really know what the new order will be, hopefully not the jungle growing back, but something based on International Law and the u. N. Charter. So, we will also touch on that. And then, i think so, without any further ado, your highness, minister faisal, where to start and end. How worried are you about the situation in the red sea . Its one of the major transportation canals of the world. Were seeing those ships going aroundfr instead of the canal. Was it necessary to take the steps, are you supporting them and you have been trying to rein in the houthis for quite a while, havent you . I think we are incredibly concerned for Regional Security in general and of course, freedom of navigation in the red sea, something that impacts all of us, and we think the priority needs to be deescalation, deescalation in the red sea, but the entire region and were then engaged to make that happen and part of that, of course, is making sure that we engage with all stake holders. How connected is this with the war in gaza . I mean, its clearly connected, given that its coming in that context and we need to focus on the war in israel not because of the red sea, we need to focus on the war in israel because of the impact on palestinian, and the risks it poses for further escalation and you know, we see now close to 30,000 civilians killed in gaza. We continue to see civilians being killed every day. We continue to see restrictions on access, and frankly we dont see any real signs that any strategic objective that theyre coming any closer. So we need to have a ceasefire immediately. We need to set the ground for a credible process that enables the palestinian authority, that allows us to have process towards peace in the region. This will resolve many of the challenges that we have in the region, but continuing as we are now, continuing to see the suffering that is happening in israel is likely to lead to continuing cycles of escalation. I think many of us were a bit relieved that it did notr escalate the situation in gaza to lebanon, but what were seeing now is it has kind of escalated to yemen and has impacts on the navigation in the red sea. You also in the kingdom will the with iran. Are you surprised that of the role in iran when it comes to this situation and with escalation with the houthis or are they not that involved . I cant speak for the iranians, but what i can say again, i just want to make clear that our priority and our emphasis is on finding the path to deescalation and that is ar in our view, through a ceasefire and thats through serious engagement across the region, but we need to focus on the immediate crisis. The immediate crisis is the suffering thats happening. And were seeing it going on and dont see prospects of that ending and im somewhat heartened to see the International Community moving more in the direction weve called for since the beginning, calling for cease fires, which is calling for more humanitarian aid, but we need to do more clearly, not enough has been done because the killing continues and suffering continues. I think youve visited the region, israel and the palestinian areas, also, four times since 7th of october. You heard what his highness is saying and the ceasefire. And needs to deescalate. Whats your take on what the minister just said . Well, also, the two of us, but with many colleagues and friends, we have been in constant contacts in the last three months because in my assessment, this is a total disaster. Its a disaster for israel, its a disaster for the civilians in gaza. Its a disaster for the whole world and we are working nonstep, the foreign minister level at the moment to prevent that just a spark could burn the whole region, and not only the region, i mean, we feel the consequences also in the ukraine. We feel the consequences in europe, the media is not reporting about the most heavy attacks from russia on civilians in ukraine since the start of the russian invasion. We feel the consequences travel has been last week to israel, to gaza, rougher Border Crossing and also into the neighboring countries. I went to the philippines and malaysia, we in germany feel the consequences, malaysia, and do you have any sentiments against muslim countries because you are not calling for ceasefire in the wording, my dear college and friends, prince faisal, were calling for sustainable ceasefire because i believe that a ceasefire, unfortunately, doesnt fall from the sky. We can only reach a ceasefire if both sides are ready, that the suffering for one self also ends suffering from the others. In my assessment and actually, i dont mean assessment, im really emotional about this because we are speaking about children still in hospice in gaza, 1yearold child. Were speaking about a boy i just saw in the hospital when i was there, when i went from gaza crossing rafah to the hospital, 10 kilometers away the same moment a 5yearold boy came by ambulance waiting for weeks that he could come to egypt and be hospital, only with his mother and his baby sister, the whole rest of the family has been killed. And the discussion about the ceasefire sounds so technical, but its about saving these children. Those children still being hostage, those children under the humanitarian disaster, and i believe the problem we are in this actually we know the solution, we can only come out together on a plan on the ceasefire on the plan of a twostate solution, but at the moment stuck in a viciouscircle, because the vicious circle means you have to stop it has to come together. The freeing of the hostages, the humanitarian situation and the questions, where we might disagree, there has to be a call from the whole International Community that hamas has to lay down its weapon so israel is not threatened from gaza anymore and obviously, and this is what others are asking from us, like germany standing with israels right to selfdefense, obviously, this includes also a change of strategy that not so many civilians are dying. At the moment we are stuck in this vicious circle and we have to find, and i think this is our obligation as an International Community of those who believe in the rule of law to find the solution to come out of this vicious circle and this is why im travelling, many colleagues are travelling around the clock to come to peace not only for the region, but i would say for the whole world. Well, thank you. The■8 humanitarian suffering in gaza will just continue and continue until there is a political solution . Because as the two former during the two former gaza wars there were conferences after where there was a lot of money, and one rebuilt gaza, but i guess the International Donors dont want to rebuild again if theres a danger for a total or destruction in a few years and then im looking at what are the realistic scenarios. One scenario is that its a state. Like a pre2005 situation before israel pulled out, then we can see a situation where the pa, and fatah takes over the rule of gaza. I guess they would be quite reluctant, i dont know what hes said in discussions with you on this, and then the third one could be fatah hamas, but i guess israel is not very open for that solution. So, what is now really the most realistic outcome for gaza that can also bring humanitarian relief and bring us on the path, as you mentioned, for a twostate solution . I believe the only way out is a ostate solution. If everybody recognized that israelis can only live in peace and security when palestinians live in peace and security, but the other side is also true, palestinians can only live in peace and security if israelis for the future are guaranteed that they are capable of living in peace and security without any rockets flying anymore, so, actually i would say the answer is there on the table, but the problem is, the bridge over the other side of the river. We cannot Work Together because on the concrete measures right now, its always this titfortat. If this doesnt happen first, then this cannot happen and we blame game and i believe again, it needs different countries, which come together and say, this is the way how we bridge it and maybe change askg what side are you on. The countries, so divided on it. If we ask it from the point of the people and i mean human and foreign politics is about the people. If we are, what do the people of israel, what do the people of gaza need . And they need, obviously, in gaza, humanitarian now, and the question, how to we come to the political answers. If that we have to change course on the humanitarian situation, and for me, German Foreign minister, i was saying loud and clear that the access to gaza has to change. I believe that its highly important that our support and can be used as Border Crossing as well. And obviously there were checks, but i was standing there besides estimated 3,000 trucks waiting to enter gaza. People are starving there and here is the food. So the food and water has to come in. On the other hand, and this is what im discussing with our friends and colleagues, we cannot ignore the majority of the hostages are still in the hand of hamas. Some people think, well, the hostages have been freed now. No, the majority is still in the hands of hamas. So while speaking about humanitarian access to come in, because of the people, we have say together and this is my pull for other countries who havent addressed it so clearly yet to call on the freeing of the hostages. So without any conditions. And do both together. I believe, this could be the step which we need on the further question of the role of fatah, the role of the pa. I was there, i was speaking about the question of reforming, about the question of holding up elections. I mean, this was also discussion before that we need to obviously elections, also, in the but hamas and the west bank, too . This is interesting. At this moment now, im rejecting black and white discussions, this needs nowhere and when i was in israel this time, i also spoke to researchers and there were interesting findings. In german media it was reported which have been made in gaza and the west bank, it was reported the majority is now for hamas, in gaza and the west bank. When i spoke to the researchers in israel, actually the findings was, it was a majority, if youre the people, but the same with polls. The question, how do you ask the question. The question if they would support hamas in this kind of situation, it was not about 50 . So its not the majority. Many people obviously said we dont know. And actually, the increase from the support of hamas, at least to this poll. Has increased only by 4 to 6 over the last three months. So which is also there in german and western media, now this theres a big push for hamas. This is not the finding from the people. Because the people under hamas, they are being misused as human protection shield. I think again, not black and white. We have to address, again, a question for Us International players to find a solution. We have to also think and this is what were discussing the day after, how can we hold election. What will be the precondition . My precondition, obviously, guaranteeing the right of israel and guaranteeing the right of the palestinians. This in peace and security. These are the International Rules that start off the United Nations was founded on. And the worst thing we could do is just wait and see. For me, this is no option at all. Obviously, its very difficult to move one step further, but wait and see, we saw now in the last three months, this leads to further escalation and therefore, im thankful for the exchange here today. Thank you very much. Senator in the arab peace plan, if there was a twostate solution, arab countries were guaranteeing also for israels security, as well as palestinian states. But it was a broad regional understanding based also on the global understanding. Listening to prince ■zfaisal, also, the general foreign minister, who can is there a possibility at all to break the current impasse both in gaza the one with the war and on the twostate solution . Because there is like almost there is more than 30 years of the process now and yes, im optimistic that there is a possibility of peace along that framework. Two months ago, a group of 10 senators, five republicans, five democrats, went to princet to tel aviv, met with Prime Minister netanyahu and the war cabinet and other israel leaders meant with president alsisi and the possibility of that Regional Peace, regional reconciliation with a real path towards a palestinian state is still there. But the conditions on the ground have gotten worse every single day. The suffering of civilians in gaza have gotten to an unacceptable level. The refusal to deliver humanitarian assistance at scale has become unacceptable and the continued holding of hostages by hamas. There was an encouraging period qatar helped facilitate the release of some hostages. Theres just also been the delivery from medicines, but we are a long way from resolving this and making any positive path forward requires a change, both in the sentiments and the leadership in israel, as well as the sentiments in the region. The United States can and should play central and facilitating role, but we cannot make peace where there are peoples not willing to or committed to. S a shattering mor the people of israel to reexamine whether a strategy of having both hamas and fatah in the west bank and gaza was wise or unwise. Whether or not there is a guarantee of security returning to that, and whether or not its sustainable globally for israel, to continue this conduct of the war in gaza. I would argue it is not. There is also a regional actor we have to be clear about. It is iran that is providing the drones and the missiles that are killing civilians in ukraine. It is iran that has provided a lot of the training and the support that makes houthi drone attacks, missile attacks possible, hamas attacks possible and we have to be cleareyed that there is an accelerating trajectory of difficulty. The dprk and iran have provided Critical Resources to rusia for which they will be rewarded with technology that will make the world more dangerous. I think we need to be decisive, i think we need to be engaged and i think we need to be cleareyed. We have talked a long time about a palestinian state without making any Real Progress so i think this is a moment for bold action. I agree with much of what the minister had said about a sustainable ceasefire that the conditions for creating that are going to require some real changes. Our secretary of state has been throughout the region tirelessly, so, too, have many other american leaders. I am actually hopeful that this is possible, but hope is not a strategy without significant investment and real change. Is that possible with the current Israeli Government . Prime minister netanyahu has made a career for long time of■ opposing a twostate solution. This is not recent, this is not new. So, i think it falls to the israeli people to decide as a democracy what they see as the right path forward, but theres also very short time. There is a short window before the american political election season squeezes out any possibility of us ratifying or engaging or supporting a new security arrangement in the region. Theres also many elections in other places. This is the year of many complex and challenging elections and so, i think and if there is an agreement the jfpoa was just terminated by trump. If he was to be reelected and the Biden Administration made deals now, could we count on the u. S. Administration continuing . The United States rarely ratifies security treaties, but when we do, we keep them. We have just enacted our Defense Authorization act. It includes a provision that passes an overwhelming bipartisan majority. Our ratification of the n. A. T. O. Treaty decades ago was silent whether or not an american president could unilaterally withdraw america from n. A. T. O. Its no longer silent. We have amended the statute. An american president can no longer unilaterally withdraw us from n. A. T. O. Why was that done . I think its clear. [laughter] enlighten me. No. Before i have a followup question, but on a different topic, senator coons, but prince faisal, short reactions from you