Gaza Contact Group proposes global alliance to implement 2-state solution

NEW YORK

The Gaza Contact Group proposed the establishment of a Global Alliance dedicated to advancing the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, following a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

"Today, we convened to propose a Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution, with a focus on establishing the Palestinian state," Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud announced following the meeting.

Key participants in the session included Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammed Mustafa, Türkiye’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and other representatives from various nations.

In his remarks, the Saudi foreign minister emphasized that follow-up meetings will be held in several capitals, including Riyadh, Brussels, Cairo, Oslo, Amman, and Ankara, to advance the discussions from the New York session. These follow-ups will focus on practical action points to bolster ongoing UN peace efforts to achieve the two-state solution.

When asked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of a Lebanon cease-fire proposal, the top Saudi diplomat said he is not surprised.

“Unfortunately, we have seen since the eruption of war in Gaza, a pattern that every time we are told that we are close to a cease-fire in Gaza, it doesn't happen,” he said.

He voiced his frustration over the Israeli stance on Lebanon, saying, "I fail to understand how war and the continuation of war can be the only option. There must be other options, and therefore, I will reiterate our call for cease-fire, and I will reiterate our call for diplomacy to prevail.”

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell echoed Al-Saud's call for a cease-fire in Lebanon. He underscored the EU's collective stance, highlighting a joint statement from member states calling for a 21-day cease-fire along the Israel-Lebanon border.

"The war is not a solution, and these attacks on Lebanon have created a significant number of civilian casualties that cannot be justified by the right to defense," Borrell remarked.

The contact group was formed last November at a joint OIC-Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia to stop the war in Gaza and help achieve lasting peace in the enclave, which has been battered for nearly a year by a devastating Israeli offensive.