The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to be the biggest supporter of the Palestinian cause. It has made political efforts to help the Palestinian people regain their rights. It is the chief proponent for the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the Kingdom has tirelessly supported the peace process.

Saudi Arabia has defended the Palestinians against the barbaric war that Israel is waging in Gaza. Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the Middle East conflict aims to end the strife and establish stability in this vital part of the world. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are working extremely hard to stop Israel’s war against Gaza and its Palestinian citizens.

The incident on Oct. 7 was a game-changer since it unleashed Israel’s aggression against the Palestinians. However, Saudi Arabia has been responding peacefully and ethically in proportion to Israel’s violence. The organization and the convening of the joint Islamic-Arab Summit held in Riyadh on Nov. 11 was a brilliant diplomatic step masterminded by Saudi Arabia. It inaugurated a foreign policy initiative to terminate Israel’s war in Gaza. It is the most systematic and elaborate campaign to shame Israel for its crimes against the Palestinians.

There is a good history of Saudi Arabia championing the Palestinian question. Early on, it denounced the Israeli reaction against the Palestinian Authority and Ariel Sharon’s opposition to the Oslo peace process, and his creation of a new political atmosphere inside Israel which culminated in the assassination of then prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in November 1995. Saudi Arabia also pointed out the fact that Israel has been attempting to dismantle the Palestinian Authority. Saudi Arabia accused Israel of exploiting any act of violence as an excuse to kill more Palestinians and seize their lands. The Kingdom identified Israel as not making any concessions toward peace.

Saudi Arabia has a comprehensive strategy on how to approach the world. On the other hand, the Kingdom has many times criticized the absence of any meaningful American strategy and a sense of direction to rehabilitate the Palestinians and help them make peace with Israel. This is why Saudi diplomacy is charging that the Biden administration’s absolute backing of Israel’s war against Gaza is an appalling reality, and a disgusting policy which the world will not tolerate indefinitely. Saudi foreign policy is challenging the US’ unconditional support for Israel.

At present, Saudi diplomacy is arguing that it is wrong to concentrate only on a short cease-fire. This entails that the existing status quo, which is the intense bombing of civilians in Gaza, will continue. The Kingdom is explaining to the world that Israel does not want to either stop the slaughter in Gaza or, in the long run, make the necessary promises to the Palestinians not to invade Gaza and the West Bank again.

This is why the extraordinary joint Islamic-Arab Summit in Riyadh led by the crown prince reinforced the declaration that the war in Gaza must end immediately. His address confirmed the “condemnation and categorical rejection of this barbaric war against our brothers in Palestine.” He added: “We are facing a humanitarian catastrophe that proves the failure of the Security Council and the international community to put an end to the flagrant Israeli violations of international laws.” And among the Riyadh’s Summit’s decisions was the call upon the International Criminal Court to conduct investigations into the “war crimes and crimes against humanity that Israel is committing.” That is to say, the Riyadh Summit was a unique historical breakthrough to assert the rights of the Arabs and Muslims to protect their Palestinian brethren.

From a moral point of view, Saudi Arabia is trying to tell the world about the tragedy that the Palestinians are experiencing at the hands of the Israelis. From a strategic perspective, the Kingdom is striving assiduously to prevent catastrophic instabilities from occurring in the Middle East.

America will be more isolated in its war against terrorism because the US is condoning Israel’s terrorism against the Palestinians. And Saudi Arabia is sparing no effort to establish an international strategic consensus to agree on ending the war in Gaza. One of its early successful manifestations was a visit by a delegation from the Riyadh Summit to China. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: “China is a good friend and brother of Arab and Islamic countries. We have always firmly safeguarded the legitimate rights and interests of Arab (and) Islamic countries and have always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people.”

Most importantly, the speech by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman at the BRICS Summit a few days ago demonstrated the utmost wisdom of Saudi foreign policy. He made it clear that “there is no way to achieve security and stability in Palestine except through the implementation of international decisions related to a two-state solution.” He outlined the borders of a Palestinian state as adhering to pre-June 1967 lines, and described Israel’s war in Gaza as “brutal crimes.” He appealed to the world to stop exporting weapons to Israel.

In conclusion, this kind of global mobilization to save the lives of the Palestinians impacts the positive global mission the Kingdom has in its foreign policy. There is a reason for Saudi foreign policy, which is to make peace all over the world and in the Middle East. Accordingly, the world expects more from Saudi Arabia and its leaders. In the absence of justice in global politics, Saud Arabia can remind the world of the need for ethics and responsibility in international relations.

• Faisal Al-Shammeri is a political analyst. X: @Mr_Alshammeri