BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union foreign ministers are strongly advocating for the creation of a Palestinian state as the only credible way to achieve Middle East peace. The concern was expressed during a meeting in Brussels discussing the war in Gaza where French Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Sejourne stated, “The declarations of Benjamin Netanyahu are worrying. There will be a need for a Palestinian state with security guarantees for all.”
As the death toll in Gaza rises, calls for a halt to the fighting are mounting. “Gaza is in a situation of extreme urgency. There is a risk of famine. There is a risk of epidemics. The violence must stop,” said Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib. Lahbib stated a “two-state solution” as the only way to establish peace in the region and emphasized the urgent need for an immediate cease-fire.
Amid the ongoing conflict, the dispute over the territory’s future pits the EU, the United States, and their Arab allies against Israel and poses a major obstacle to any plans for postwar governance or reconstruction in Gaza. As such, the EU called for a meeting, inviting the foreign ministers of Israel, the Palestinians, Egypt, Jordan, and a representative of the Arab League to take part in Monday’s talks. The European ministers are eager to hear about alternative solutions from Israel that might resolve the ongoing conflict.