His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, delivered a keynote address at the 19th edition of the Manama Dialogue security conference in which he pressed for a peaceful resolution of the Gaza conflict.
During a speech on November 17, 2023, His Royal Highness set out conditions necessary for “breaking the cycle of violence,” a feat only possible through the release of innocents and non-combatants. His Royal Highness stressed that the release of hostages is a prerequisite to pause hostilities.
The Crown Prince also called for the full application of international law to ensure that the Palestinians in Gaza have access to humanitarian aid.
Lasting peace will only be secured through a two-state solution that enshrines the rights of the Palestinian people, a process requiring international leadership, particularly the indispensable leadership of the United States, the Crown Prince said.
“Let me be extremely clear on what matters to the Kingdom of Bahrain. There must be no forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, now or ever. There must be no reoccupation of Gaza. There must be no reduction in Gaza’s territory,” the Crown Prince said. “And on the other side, there must be no terrorism directed from Gaza against the Israeli public. Those are the red lines.”
To ensure lasting peace in the aftermath of the conflict, His Royal Highness called for elections in which the Palestinian people are offered strong and unified leadership. This process must be led by an interlocutor and partner who can broker an end to violence and deliver the prospect of a viable and independent Palestinian state that will also guarantee security and stability for its neighbor, Israel.
In conclusion, His Royal Highness asserted that diplomacy and the rule of international law — and not military conflict — must be the final arbiter and principal mechanism for conflict resolution. If the world fails to work across political lines to ensure the voice of reason is heard, it risks creating conditions for violence to spread globally.
The Manama Dialogue, hosted by Bahrain each year, is the Middle East’s premier security and defense conference.