The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, received the Arab-Islamic contact group for Gaza at the Palacio de Viana in Madrid today, after this Tuesday's recognition of the Palestinian State by the Spanish Government.
The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahaman bin Jassim Al Thani; the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Palestine, Mohammad Mustafa; the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Jordan, Ayman Safadi; the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, and of Türkiye, Hakan Fidan; and the secretary general of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, Hussein Ibrahim Taha.
“We are today paving the path towards the active implementation of the two-State solution, a path towards peace that was smoothed at the Madrid Conference in 1991 and throughout the Oslo Accords and one which will require the recognition of both parties by the international community” Minister Albares assured during the opening of the meeting, stressing the need for guidance from the international community in order to achieve peace in the Middle East. “Euro-Arab coordination is key when it comes to forging a broader international consensus on how to move forward towards achieving peace in the region”, concluded Albares.
Spain's commitment to peace
Spain took a historic step yesterday to make progress on the two-State solution, a decision that in Albares' words, the Government has taken for “peace and justice for the Palestinian people”, and under the firm belief that the two-State solution —a State of Palestine and a State of Israel living side by side in peace— is the only path to ensure the peace and prosperity of the region.
“The Palestinian people are entitled to have a future of hope, just as the people of Israel are entitled to have a future of security. Both are entitled to peace. We can no longer see all this suffering, all this confrontation, all this devastation. We find the 1,200 Israeli victims of the terrorist attack by Hamas and the suffering of the hostages and their families unbearable. The more than 35,000 Palestinians victims in Gaza are unbearable", asserted Albares in front of his Arab counterparts, who were grateful for the step taken by Spain.
Spain, as the minister recalled, demands an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the unrestricted entry of all necessary humanitarian aid, and the unconditional release of all hostages. Albares also called again for immediate compliance with the measures adopted by the International Court of Justice, as they are binding for all parties.
Spain, on the other hand, has tripled its aid to Palestine in 2023, up to 50 million euros. and has reinforced the defense of UNRWA through an additional contribution of 35 million euros from the start of the conflict.
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