Brussels hosts talks on Israel–Palestine peace efforts

The 9th meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, uniting around 90 countries and international organizations, is taking place in the capital of Belgium.

As per Report, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa spoke at the opening.

Opening the meeting, Prévot emphasized that the current Middle Eastern crisis related to Iran should not divert attention from the strategic course toward resolving the Palestinian question.

According to him, the two-state solution remains the only realistic option for settlement: "The two-state solution is not a dream for idealists. It is the only realistic destination."

He noted the need to link short-term stabilization in Gaza with a long-term political perspective of coexistence between Israel and Palestine "in peace and security."

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas focused attention on practical steps by the international community. She stated that the European Union would continue to pursue compliance with international law, protection of human rights, and accountability of the parties.

Kallas also called on Israel to abandon unilateral actions, including settlement expansion, and to unblock financial revenues of the Palestinian Authority.

"This is the only way that both the Palestinians and Israelis can live in safety, dignity, and peace," she emphasized.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, in his speech, focused on key conditions for transitioning from conflict to sustainable peace.

He stated that the experience of recent years has demonstrated the ineffectiveness of force-based approaches: "War has not produced peace. Siege has not produced security. Occupation has not produced stability."

Mustafa outlined three priorities: the situation in the Gaza Strip, conditions in the West Bank, and institutional reforms of Palestine. He emphasized that Gaza must be considered an integral part of the future Palestinian state, advocated for the return of Palestinian Authority governance, and called for the creation of a unified security system based on the principle of "one state, one government, one law, and one weapon."

He separately pointed to the need to halt the expansion of Israeli settlements, settler violence, and economic restrictions, which, according to him, undermine the viability of Palestinian institutions and the very prospect of a two-state solution.

Representatives of the European Union, the United Nations, co-chairs of the Global Alliance - Norway and Saudi Arabia - as well as diplomats, international organizations, and special envoys involved in advancing the peace process are participating in the meeting.