“If we want a two-state solution, everybody has to support it in practical terms,” says top E.U. diplomat Josep Borrell.

By JNS and EJP

Over 40 countries and delegations joined a high-level meeting at the United Nations on Monday aimed at injecting new life into moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

The meeting, dubbed a “Peace Day Effort,” was the initiative of the European Union, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the Arab League.

“The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is deteriorating dangerously. With our initiative we want to support the path towards a comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine,” tweeted High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

Today, we launched the Peace Day Effort, with @FaisalbinFarhan @MfaEgypt @AymanHsafadi @arableague_gs

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is deteriorating dangerously. With our initiative we want to support the path towards a comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine. pic.twitter.com/AVYPq5GS4j

— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) September 18, 2023

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said that 30 years after the signing of the Oslo Accords, “we cannot say we are closer to peace between Israel and Palestine. On the contrary, the number of settlers has increased a lot.and the two-state solution needs a stronger effort.”

He added, ”If we really want a Two-State solution, everybody has to support it in practical terms. For us, Europeans, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very important. It is in our neighbourhood. And we see how it is deteriorating every day. We are very much concerned for the fate of the Palestinian people and for the effect that this conflict has also on the security of Israel.”

Arguing for a “stronger effort,” Borrell said that “if we want a two-state solution, everybody has to support it in practical terms.”

He said the participants had agreed to establish three senior-level working groups: 1. regional, political and security 2. economic, trade and environment, and 3. humanitarian and cultural.

The groups will start working in one month in Brussels, he said.

“If everybody was really engaged in supporting this two-state solution, the solution would be there already,” he said. “We have to pass from words to deeds.”b

Borrell welcomed the agreements between the Arab countries and Israel, ”This makes peace between some Arab countries and Israel. But we have to work for the peace between Israel and Palestine, and on that everyone has to make a contribution – the Arabs, the Europeans, the United States, all around the world.”