Spain convened a high-level meeting on Friday with several Muslim and European nations to discuss strategies for ending the Gaza conflict, emphasizing the need for a definitive timeline for the international community to implement a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares stated, “We gather to advocate for an end to the violence in Gaza and to find a resolution to the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. The path forward is evident: the two-state solution is the sole viable option.”

Attendees included foreign ministers from Norway and Slovenia, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, and representatives from the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza, which comprises Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey.

Albares noted a “clear willingness” among participants, who notably excluded Israel, to transition from dialogue to actionable steps towards establishing a timeline for the effective realization of a two-state solution, beginning with Palestine’s admission to the United Nations.

He clarified that Israel was not invited due to its absence from the contact group but expressed openness to Israel’s participation in any discussions focused on peace and the two-state solution.

On May 28, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially recognized a unified Palestinian state governed by the Palestinian Authority, encompassing the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem designated as its capital.This recognition brings the total to 146 out of 193 United Nations member states acknowledging Palestinian statehood.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has consistently asserted that the coexistence of two sovereign states in the territory of former Mandatory Palestine represents the only feasible route to regional peace. Although the two-state solution was outlined in the 1991 Madrid Conference and the Oslo Accords from 1993 to 1995, the peace process has remained stagnant for years. Nonetheless, efforts to find a peaceful resolution continue.