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Now, 149 of the UN’s 193 member nations have recognised a Palestinian state. Eide urged all countries “to contribute to universal recognition” and strengthen Palestinian institutions so they live up to the expectations of people in the West Bank and are prepared to return to Gaza: “We want one Palestine, not different Palestines,” he said.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud told the UN Security Council his country, the joint Islamic-Arab ministerial committee, Norway and the European Union launched the alliance “because we feel responsible to act to change the reality of the conflict without delay.”
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged all countries to take practical measures “to bring about the free Palestine next to a secure Israel”.
Borrell said on X that the first meetings of the alliance would be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Brussels.
Borrell asked rhetorically of anyone who opposed a two-state solution. He stressed that work on this initiative would move ahead quickly.
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Eide said this new effort was built on the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, “but updated to today’s reality”.
The 2002 initiative, endorsed by the Arab League and the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, offered Israel normalised relations in exchange for a full withdrawal from territories captured in 1967.
He said efforts started long ago to build the institutions of a Palestinian state.
“It’s difficult,” Eide said. “Their hands are tied in many ways. We’re seeing an increasing amount of illegal settlements and settle violence.”
“But still, there is an embryonic institution there that we have to strengthen,” he said.
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Eide said he chaired a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for the Building of Palestinian Institutions, with the United States, Canada, the EU and many Middle East and European countries contributing.
“None of these tools will solve the problem on their own, and we never pretended that, but we’re trying to build a body of instruments that will take us forward to a peaceful settlement,” Eide said. “And I am convinced it will happen here.”