On the sidelines of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Minister Tanja Fajon chaired an informal dialogue between the Security Council and the League of Arab States on the escalating situation in the Middle East, efforts to organise a peace conference for a lasting peace and a two-state solution, and the indispensable role of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Later, Minister Fajon, alongside Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Gheit, welcomed the joint meeting. “We have been deeply concerned about the developments in the Middle East and the war in Gaza from the outset. Slovenia has consistently warned that the violence could have a spill-over effect across the entire region. What we are witnessing today, with the violence in Lebanon and the West Bank, has effectively brought the region to the brink of war,” the Minister stated in her opening remarks. “This is why I used today’s meeting to make an urgent appeal to everyone at the table: leverage the attention of the international community. Use your influence, especially with the Israeli government, to secure an early ceasefire and the withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories,” she added.

She called on those present – as responsible members of the UN – to honor their shared obligations and to respect international law and the UN Charter. “We are here in the Peace Palace, and throughout this week, in every discussion, the key word has been ‘peace’. In every statement and commitment. Yet, peace remains elusive on the ground. What we are witnessing is the loss of lives – civilians, women and children. A terrible situation is unfolding before our eyes and the world has failed the test of humanity. It is our collective responsibility to uphold Security Council resolutions and do everything in our power to find a political solution, as no military solution can bring peace to the region,” Minister Fajon concluded. She was moved by the gratitude expressed by many of her interlocutors for Slovenia’s stance on the Palestinian issue. “I urge other countries to follow our example and recognize Palestine as a sovereign and independent state, offering a glimmer of hope to the Palestinian people,” Minister Fajon said in a press statement following the meeting.

The League of Arab States, founded in 1945 and based in Cairo, comprises 22 member states from North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula.

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