Spain hosts meeting on Israel-Palestinian two-state solution

MADRID: Ministers from Muslim and European countries along with the European Union´s foreign affairs chief gathered on Friday in Madrid to discuss how to advance a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Together, we want to identify the concrete actions that will enable us to make progress 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.

Sanchez welcomed participants at his official residence before the start of the meeting at the foreign ministry in central Madrid, hosted by his top diplomat Jose Manuel Albares.

“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.

In attendance were Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye -- all members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza -- as well as the heads of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

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.

EU nations have “different positions” on whether to recognise Palestine as a state “but there is undoubtedly unanimity in the union on the need to support the solution based on the construction of the Palestinian state, because the state of Israel already exists,” Borrell told a separate press conference after the end of the meeting.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz blasted Borrell for taking part in the gathering, writing on social network X that “Borrell supports establishing a Palestinian terror state controlled by Iran, and the axis of evil against Israel, moderate Arab states, and Europe.”

“This is Borrell´s legacy -- anti-Semitism and hatred towards Israel,” he added.

Asked about Katz´s comments, Borrell said that “accusing those who disagree with a government´s position of anti-Semitism makes no sense.”