Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, participated on 13 September in a meeting held in Madrid focused on advancing the two-state solution and securing a ceasefire in Gaza. The meeting, convened by the Spanish government, brought together foreign ministers from several European nations that have recognised the State of Palestine, including Norway, Slovenia, and Ireland, alongside a delegation from the ministerial committee appointed by the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit to monitor developments in the Gaza Strip, chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Gamal Roshdy, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General, noted that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez received the ministers of the Arab-Islamic delegation in a broader meeting prior to the ministerial session. During this discussion, participants explored avenues to broaden international recognition of the State of Palestine, examined the necessary steps to activate the two-state solution, and deliberated on the ongoing efforts to halt Israeli aggression in Gaza and bring an end to the dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank.
The spokesperson noted that Mr. Aboul Gheit subsequently participated in the ministerial meeting, which concentrated on practical measures to transform the two-state solution from mere rhetoric into a concrete reality. The meeting, he noted, saw a consensus among the European, Arab, and Islamic ministers on the importance of expanding international recognition of the State of Palestine as a pivotal step towards its tangible existence on the ground. The ministers collectively condemned the international community's inability to confront the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, which has persisted for nearly a year. This inaction, they agreed, emboldened Israel to extend its military campaign into the West Bank, aiming to replicate the tragic conditions of Gaza.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to working within international forums, particularly the United Nations, to establish a credible and irreversible pathway for the realisation of a sovereign Palestinian state. Roshdy said that the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, stressed during the meeting that the time has come for the international community to take practical, meaningful steps to restore Palestinian hope that the project of an independent state is still viable, and that the two-state solution is not mere rhetoric devoid of substance.
Additionally, the spokesperson stated that Mr. Aboul Gheit held a bilateral meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, during which Mr. Aboul Gheit expressed his gratitude for Spain's unwavering stance and commendable efforts in supporting the Palestinian cause. He stressed that the League of Arab States is relying on Madrid's leadership to persuade other key European nations to follow suit in recognising Palestine. Mr. Aboul Gheit also expressed regret that some countries, despite their longstanding friendship with the Arab world, have yet to muster the necessary courage to take this politically just and morally sound step.
