MADRID – On September 13, Spain hosted a high-level meeting with several European and Muslim countries to address the ongoing Gaza conflict and push for a clear timeline to implement a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares emphasized that the only viable solution is the establishment of a two-state framework, which includes the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel. Albares expressed a strong commitment among attendees to move from discussion to actionable steps, including Palestine’s potential membership in the United Nations.
The meeting saw participation from European foreign ministers, including those from Norway and Slovenia, as well as EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa was also present, alongside representatives from the Arab-Islamic Contact Group, which includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey.
Israel was not invited to the meeting as it is not a member of the contact group, though Albares noted Spain’s openness to involving Israel in future peace discussions. Spain, Norway, and Ireland had previously recognized a unified Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, joining 146 of the 193 UN member states in this recognition.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has reiterated that the two-state solution remains the only path to peace, a position consistent with previous international agreements like the 1991 Madrid Conference and the Oslo Accords.
The urgency of finding a resolution has been heightened by the ongoing conflict in Gaza and escalating violence in the West Bank. The meeting also touched upon the need for discussions on Hamas’s demobilization and the normalization of ties between Israel and other states, notably Saudi Arabia.