Global Alliance Forms to Back Palestinian State Amid Gaza Crisis \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ European, Arab, and Islamic nations have launched an alliance to boost support for a Palestinian state, emphasizing the need for long-term stability after conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said this coalition aims to revive momentum towards Palestinian statehood and address security, normalization, and governance issues. Saudi Arabia and Norway co-chaired the alliance’s launch during the U.N. General Assembly.
Global Initiative for Palestinian Statehood Quick Looks
- Alliance Announcement: European, Arab, and Islamic nations formed an alliance to advance the Palestinian statehood cause.
- Norwegian Lead: Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stressed the importance of a unified Palestinian government and institutions.
- Saudi and EU Involvement: Saudi Arabia, Norway, and the EU co-chaired discussions on building Palestinian institutions and achieving recognition.
- Global Support Grows: 149 countries now recognize Palestinian statehood, with calls for others to join in.
- Focus on Long-Term Peace: The coalition aims to address conflicts beyond ceasefires, targeting enduring solutions for Palestine and Israel.
Deep Look
In an ambitious push towards creating lasting peace in the Middle East, European, Arab, and Islamic nations announced a significant initiative aimed at strengthening support for a Palestinian state and its institutions. The announcement, made by Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide on Friday, emphasized preparation for a post-war environment in Gaza and the escalating conflict in Lebanon.
Eide conveyed a growing consensus within the international community, with support not just from Arab nations but also from Western countries and the Global South. “There is a growing consensus in the international community from Western countries, from Arab countries, from the Global South, that we need to establish a Palestinian Authority, a Palestinian government, a Palestinian state — and the Palestinian state has to be recognized,” Eide told The Associated Press.
He stressed that there are many critical issues that must be resolved in the process, including the security interests of both Israel and the Palestinians, normalization of relations, and the demobilization of Hamas as a military force. Eide highlighted that these are all interconnected components of a larger puzzle, stating, “You can’t just come in there with one of these pieces, because it only works if all the pieces are laid in place.”
Even if the complex puzzle of issues is resolved, Eide acknowledged that gaining traction with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be unlikely. Despite this challenge, Eide urged for a new approach to achieve an independent Palestinian state, pointing out that decades of stalled negotiations have failed to produce meaningful progress.
To expedite work on these issues, nearly 90 countries gathered Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing U.N. General Assembly. The session, co-chaired by Eide and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, was aimed at officially launching “The Global Alliance for the Implementation of a Palestinian State and a Two-State Solution.”
Eide expressed his belief that the deep crisis in the region could be transformed into an opportunity to move forward. “We have to see how we can come out of this deadlock and try to use this deep crisis also as an opportunity to move forward,” Eide said during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Gaza.
As the guarantor of the 1993 Oslo Accords, Norway has a vested interest in progressing towards peace between Palestinians and Israelis. The Oslo Accords were intended to lay the foundation for peace and self-governance through the creation of the Palestinian Authority. Thirty years on, however, the situation has largely stagnated. Israel’s occupation continues, and there are no ongoing negotiations leading to a final settlement and an independent Palestinian state. In May, Norway formally recognized Palestine in response to this deadlock.
Currently, 149 of the 193 United Nations member states have officially recognized the Palestinian state. Eide called upon the rest of the international community to join this movement towards “universal recognition” and urged stronger support for Palestinian institutions to prepare for governance in both the West Bank and Gaza. “We want one Palestine, not different Palestines,” he emphasized.
Eide reiterated the importance of this alliance in his address to the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting on Saturday. He cautioned that “while ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon are most urgently needed, ending hostilities must not be confused with lasting solutions.” He again urged the 44 remaining U.N. member states that have not recognized Palestine to do so, calling for the country’s full membership in the United Nations.
In addition to global recognition, Eide highlighted the importance of building up Palestinian institutions. He called on regional actors to help facilitate a broader political settlement that could be integrated into a regional framework for stability.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, echoed Eide’s sentiments. Speaking at the U.N. Security Council on Friday, he stressed that Saudi Arabia, along with the joint Islamic-Arab ministerial committee, Norway, and the European Union, felt a responsibility to “act to change the reality of the conflict without delay.” On Saturday, addressing the U.N. General Assembly, Prince Faisal called for all countries to support the coalition’s efforts to promote a two-state solution and recognize Palestine as an independent state.
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, also called for practical steps towards realizing a free Palestinian state coexisting alongside a secure Israel. He underscored the urgency of progress, emphasizing that merely supporting the notion of a two-state solution is insufficient without concrete action.
Borrell announced that the initial meetings of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of a Palestinian State would take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Brussels, Belgium. He also posed a rhetorical challenge to those opposing a two-state solution: What alternative solutions do they propose, and how can they realistically be implemented? Borrell emphasized that the initiative would proceed quickly, underscoring the need for swift progress amidst escalating tensions in the region.
Eide also explained that this renewed effort is built upon the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, adapted to reflect today’s circumstances. The original 2002 initiative, endorsed by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, offered Israel normalized relations in return for a full withdrawal from the territories it captured in 1967.
Eide pointed out that efforts to build Palestinian state institutions have been underway for many years, despite considerable difficulties. “It’s difficult,” he admitted. “Their hands are tied in many ways. We’re seeing an increasing amount of illegal settlements and settlement violence.” Despite these challenges, he argued that there is still a nascent institutional framework in Palestine that can be strengthened, given the proper support and resources.
Eide chaired a meeting on Thursday of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Building of Palestinian Institutions, which brought together representatives from the United States, Canada, the European Union, and numerous Middle Eastern and European nations. He stressed that none of these tools can solve the crisis alone, but that collectively, they can create a foundation for lasting peace.
“None of these tools will solve the problem on their own, and we never pretended that,” Eide concluded. “But we’re trying to build a body of instruments that will take us forward to a peaceful settlement. And I am convinced it will happen here.”
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