ISLAMABAD (TDI): On Friday, Foreign ministers from various Muslim and European countries will meet in Madrid to discuss the implementation of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to announcements from the Spanish and Norwegian governments.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares will preside over the meeting, which will participated by European counterparts, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, and members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza.
The two-state solution, first outlined in the 1991 Madrid Conference and the 1993-95 Oslo Accords, has been considered by the international community as the most viable resolution to the long-standing conflict.
Muslim and European FMs to Meet in Madrid
However, progress towards peace has stalled in recent years.
The urgency for a renewed peace effort has been heightened by the recent 11-month conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip—the deadliest phase of the conflict to date—as well as rising violence in the occupied West Bank.
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On May 28, Spain, Norway, and Ireland formally recognized a unified Palestinian state, encompassing the Gaza Strip and the West Bank with East Jerusalem as its capital.
This recognition brings the total number of UN member states acknowledging Palestinian statehood to 146 out of 193.
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Following this recognition, Albares hosted a diplomatic session with the Gaza Contact Group on May 29, where participants discussed actionable steps towards advancing the two-state solution.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has consistently endorsed the vision of two sovereign states coexisting on the territory of former Mandatory Palestine as the only viable path to peace.
