ARAB AND WORLD

Fri 13 Sep 2024 9:08 pm - Jerusalem Time

"Madrid Statement" affirms commitment to implementing the two-state solution and calls for a complete withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza


The Madrid Statement affirmed the two parties' joint commitment to implementing the two-state solution as the only way to achieve lasting peace and security, and to the need for credible and irreversible implementation of the two-state solution in accordance with international law and agreed parameters.


This came in the statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting of representatives of the Joint Ministerial Contact Group of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, from the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Palestine, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Turkey, and the foreign ministers and representatives of Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain, who met today in the Spanish capital, Madrid.


“Thirty-three years after the peace conference held in this city, the parties and the international community have not been able to achieve our common goal, which remains valid, namely ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, that began in 1967, and achieving a reality in which two independent and sovereign states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security, integrated into the region, on the basis of mutual recognition and effective cooperation to achieve stability and common prosperity. We therefore call for the credible and irreversible implementation of the two-state solution in accordance with international law and agreed parameters, including the Arab Peace Initiative, to achieve a just and lasting peace that meets the rights of the Palestinian people,” the statement said.


“Over the years of the peace process, the parties and the international community have set terms of reference and parameters for implementing the two-state solution, based on relevant Security Council resolutions, the rules and principles of international law, and the Arab Peace Initiative. Instead, illegal unilateral actions, settlements, forced displacement, and extremism have frustrated the hopes of the two peoples for peace, and an unprecedented tragedy of human suffering and flagrant violations of international law is unfolding before our eyes, undermining international peace and security,” the statement said.


The statement reiterated the call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the return of full control of the Palestinian National Authority over the Rafah crossing and the rest of the borders, and a complete withdrawal of the occupying Israeli forces from Gaza.


He stressed the urgent need to deliver humanitarian aid immediately, without conditions, without obstacles and in large quantities by opening all crossings and supporting the work of UNRWA and other UN agencies.


He urged all parties to implement their obligations under international humanitarian law and to implement the orders of the International Court of Justice.


He warned of the dangerous escalation in the West Bank, and urged an immediate cessation of aggression against the Palestinians, and all illegal measures that undermine the prospects for peace, including settlement activities, land seizure, and the displacement of Palestinians.


He stressed the need to preserve the legal and historical status of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, emphasizing the primary role of the Hashemite guardianship over the holy sites in the occupied city.


He called for a halt to all measures that lead to regional escalation.

He stressed that the international community must take active steps to implement the two-state solution, including global recognition of the State of Palestine and its inclusion as a full member of the United Nations. He stressed that the issue of recognition is a key element in this new peace agenda, leading to mutual recognition between Israel and Palestine.

He reiterated the joint commitment to peace efforts to enhance the implementation of the two-state solution, and that the countries gathered agreed on the need to hold an international peace conference as soon as possible.

He called on all parties and all members of the United Nations to join the expanded meeting on "the situation in Gaza and the implementation of the two-state solution as a path to achieving a just and comprehensive peace", on the sidelines of the next session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 26.

He welcomed the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on 19 July, and reiterated the need to enable the Palestinian government to perform all its duties throughout the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.


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"Madrid Statement" affirms commitment to implementing the two-state solution and calls for a complete withdrawal of occupation forces from Gaza