Foreign ministers from various Muslim and European nations are set to convene in Madrid on Friday to explore the implementation of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as announced by the Spanish and Norwegian governments.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares will preside over the meeting, which will include his European counterparts, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, and representatives from the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza.

The two-state solution, originally proposed during the 1991 Madrid Conference and reaffirmed in the 1993-95 Oslo Accords, has long been regarded by the international community as the most effective means to resolve the protracted conflict, although the peace process has stagnated for years. Recent developments, including the ongoing 11-month conflict in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas, which has resulted in significant casualties, as well as rising violence in the occupied West Bank, have intensified the urgency for a peaceful resolution.

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 that acknowledge Palestinian statehood. On May 29, Albares facilitated a diplomatic meeting with the Gaza Contact Group, where participants deliberated on actionable steps toward advancing the two-state solution.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has consistently emphasized that the coexistence of two sovereign states within the territory of former Mandatory Palestine represents the only feasible route to peace in the region.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Middle East war, with the expansion of Jewish settlements further complicating the situation. Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem in 1980 remains largely unrecognized internationally, and the country asserts that security guarantees are of utmost importance.