European Muslim Countries Convene in Spain to Discuss Palestinian Statehood

By Belén Carreño

MADRID (Reuters) – Spain hosted a significant meeting on Friday with several Muslim and European nations aimed at finding a resolution to the ongoing Gaza conflict, advocating for a definitive timeline for the international community to enact a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

"We gather today to intensify our efforts to conclude the war in Gaza and to halt the endless cycle of violence between Palestinians and Israelis. The path forward is evident: the implementation of the two-state solution is the sole viable approach," stated Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares during a press briefing.

Attendees included foreign ministers from Norway, Slovenia, and the European Union, as well as Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and representatives from the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza, which comprises Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey.

Albares remarked that there was "a clear willingness" among participants, explicitly excluding Israel, "to transition from dialogue to action and to make progress towards establishing a clear timeline for the effective application" of a two-state solution, emphasizing the importance of Palestine joining the United Nations.

Israel was not present at the meeting as it does not belong to the contact group, noted Albares, who expressed openness to Israel’s participation in any discussions regarding peace and the two-state solution.

On May 28, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially recognized a unified Palestinian state governed by the Palestinian Authority, encompassing the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This recognition has been echoed by 146 of the 193 member states of the United Nations.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has consistently described the coexistence of two sovereign states in the territory of former Mandatory Palestine as the only feasible route to achieve peace in the region.

The concept of a two-state solution was initially proposed during the 1991 Madrid Conference and reiterated throughout the 1993-95 Oslo Accords; however, the peace process has stagnated for many years.

The recent 11-month-long conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, which has been the deadliest episode in the long-standing conflict, alongside rising violence in the occupied West Bank, has intensified the urgency for a peaceful resolution.

Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since capturing it during the 1967 Middle East war, with the expansion of Jewish settlements further complicating the situation. In 1980, Israel annexed East Jerusalem, a move that lacks widespread international recognition.

Israeli officials have emphasized that any agreements made must include assurances regarding their security.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide highlighted the need for the meeting to also address the demobilization of Hamas, which governed Gaza prior to the conflict, and the normalization of relations between Israel and several other countries, particularly Saudi Arabia.