The ministerial committee assigned by the extraordinary Arab Islamic summit regarding developments in the Gaza Strip met with foreign ministers and representatives from European countries to reaffirm support for efforts aimed at ending the war in Gaza and taking necessary steps to implement a two-state solution.
A statement issued following the meeting, chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Farhan and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, indicated that "the ministerial committee met with foreign ministers and representatives from European countries on April 29 in Riyadh to discuss the urgent need to end the war in Gaza and take the necessary steps to implement a two-state solution."
The Riyadh statement emphasized support for efforts "to achieve an immediate ceasefire, release prisoners and hostages, end the war in Gaza, and all unlawful unilateral actions and violations in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, alongside addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis." At the same time, it was asserted that moving towards a political path to reach a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was important.
In this context, concrete steps towards establishing a Palestinian state within the framework of the two-state solution were discussed. The urgent need for such steps and the importance of coordinating positions were underscored, while the meeting also discussed the issue of recognizing the Palestinian state by countries that have not yet done so, along with the timing and context of this recognition.
The meeting emphasized "the importance and necessity of adopting a comprehensive approach towards a reliable and irreversible path for implementing the two-state solution in accordance with international law and agreed-upon standards, including United Nations Security Council resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, and other relevant initiatives aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace that satisfies the rights of the Palestinian people and ensures the security of Israel and the region, paving the way for normal relations between states in a region characterized by stability, security, peace, and cooperation."
Furthermore, the meeting stressed the need to intensify support for state-building efforts, support the new Palestinian government, and the importance of having a single Palestinian government in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.
The meeting was attended by foreign ministers and representatives from Bahrain, Portugal, the European Union, Algeria, Jordan, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, the Arab League, Slovenia, France, Palestine, Qatar, Egypt, and the United Kingdom.
