Shafaqna India: On Friday, foreign ministers from various Muslim and European countries will convene in Madrid to discuss implementing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to the Spanish and Norwegian governments.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares will host the meeting, which will also include European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza. This initiative aims to advance the two-state solution outlined in the 1991 Madrid Conference and the 1993-95 Oslo Accords, which has long been viewed as the most viable resolution to the enduring conflict, though progress has stalled in recent years.
The urgency of the meeting is underscored by the ongoing 11-month conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, the deadliest phase of the conflict so far, and the increasing violence in the West Bank.
On May 28, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially recognized a unified Palestinian state, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem as its capital. This recognition brings to 146 the number of UN member states acknowledging Palestinian statehood.
Albares previously hosted a meeting with the Gaza Contact Group on May 29 to discuss steps towards implementing the two-state solution. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has consistently advocated for the coexistence of two sovereign states on the territory of former Mandatory Palestine as the only feasible path to peace in the region.