 "Palestinian refugees flee the West Bank refugee camp of Tulkarem, during an Israeli army operation in Tulkarem, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. - Iamge- AP")
Ministers from Muslim and European countries, along with the European Union’s foreign affairs chief on Friday gathered in Madrid to advance the two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez welcomed the participants at his official residence before the meeting, which took place at the foreign ministry in central Madrid. The gathering was hosted by Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares.
Attendees included Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. These countries are members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza. Also present were the heads of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
“Today, in Madrid, we are holding a meeting of European countries with the Arab-Islamic Contact Group to jointly discuss the two-state solution. Together we want to identify concrete actions that will allow us to advance towards this objective ,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on social network X.
“The international community must take a decisive step towards a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” the Socialist premier added.
The European Union was represented by its foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell as well as the foreign ministers of Ireland, Norway and Slovenia in addition to Spain.
“The implementation of the two-state solution is the only way to ensure a just and lasting peace in the region through the peaceful and secure coexistence of the state of Palestine and the state of Israel,” Albares told a news conference.
Asked about Israel’s absence from the meeting, he said the country had not been invited because it belonged “neither to the group of Europeans nor to the Arab-Islamic contact group” but stressed he would be “delighted” if Israel took part in discussions on the two-state solution.
Sanchez has been one of the staunchest critics in Europe of Israel’s Gaza offensive since the start of the conflict. Under his watch, Spain on May 28 along with Ireland and Norway formally recognised a Palestinian state comprising the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Earlier this month he announced that the first “bilateral summit between Spain and Palestine” would be held before the end of the year. He said he expected “several collaboration agreements between the two states” to be signed.