Madrid: The Governments of Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and Norway have jointly called for full United Nations membership for the State of Palestine. In their collective statement, they emphasized that recognizing Palestine is a crucial step towards the implementation of the two-state solution.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the nations reiterated their commitment to the two-state solution, marking one year since officially recognizing Palestine. The joint statement highlighted their meeting within the Madrid+ Group to renew and reinforce international efforts towards implementing this solution. It stressed the necessity of establishing a viable and contiguous Palestinian State, with internationally recognized borders, encompassing Gaza and the West Bank, and having East Jerusalem as its capital, to meet the legitimate aspirations for peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis.
The statement also noted the forthcoming High-Level Conference scheduled for June 17, 2025, under UN auspices and co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, as a significant opportunity to advance the two-state solution with the highest degree of international legitimacy. The governments urged the international community to take necessary steps, including individual recognition of both Palestine and Israel by those yet to do so, granting UN membership to Palestine, and supporting an agreement leading to mutual recognition between the two parties.
The joint statement concluded by stressing the international community's responsibility to alter the current dynamics that perpetuate violence and devastation in the region.