Countries Stress Immediate Halt to Gaza War at International Meeting
At the United Nations international conference on “Resolving the Question of Palestine and Achieving the Two-State Solution”, held at the organization’s headquarters at the initiative of France and Saudi Arabia, many countries condemned Israel’s attacks on Gaza and emphasized the urgent need to stop them.
Yoko Takashi, Japan’s Foreign Minister, called for an immediate end to Israel’s unilateral actions against Gaza, noting: “For Japan, recognizing the State of Palestine is not a matter of ‘if,’ but a matter of ‘when.’” He also referred to Japan and Norway’s joint chairmanship of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee on Palestinian Economic Sustainability, highlighting constructive dialogues with UN member states and international organizations.
Tanja Fajon, Slovenia’s Foreign Minister, stressed: “The only path to lasting peace in the region is a two-state solution; peace will not be possible without a legitimate and capable Palestinian state.”
Johann Wadephul, Germany’s Foreign Minister, stated: “The two-state solution is consistent with international law, and there has been no convincing alternative to it.” He warned that certain current actions are making this solution increasingly difficult to achieve.
David van Weel, the Netherlands’ Foreign Minister, called for an end to the war in Gaza and a reversal of the troubling trend in the occupied West Bank. He added: “Any possible solution must guarantee Israel’s security, but Hamas should not have a role in the future Palestinian government.”
Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s Foreign Minister, described the Gaza war as “a humanitarian catastrophe of unbearable proportions” and declared: “Israel must change its course immediately.”
Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Foreign Minister, pointed to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying: “We oppose the occupation of the Gaza Strip and the displacement of its people.” He condemned Israel’s attack on the Hamas negotiating team in Doha and expressed support for the mediation efforts of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States to achieve a ceasefire.
Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, Advisor on Foreign Affairs of Qatar, described the conference as “of historic importance” and said: “This meeting addresses both the decades of oppression and occupation endured by the Palestinian people, and the current situation—namely, the destruction of Gaza and the escalation of Israeli violence in the West Bank.”
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, strongly criticized Israel’s attacks, saying: “What is happening in Gaza goes beyond the destruction of a nation; this war is also destroying the Palestinian dream of having an independent state.” He emphasized that existence is not only Israel’s right but also Palestine’s, adding: “A state is built on territory, population, and governance. In the case of Palestine, these elements have been destroyed, manifesting in the illegal occupation. To stop the genocide in Gaza, we joined the case brought by South Africa before the International Criminal Court; there is no word more fitting than genocide to describe this situation.”
