The Gaza war, with nearly 30,000 deaths, has revived the two-state solution as the preferred formula for ending hostilities and resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A formula that produced “practically unanimity” among the G-20 foreign ministers at the meeting in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) was “the only possible solution,” explained the host, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, this Thursday after the closing event. The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, stressed to a group of journalists in Rio that “Israel cannot have a veto right” over the creation of a Palestinian state. The G-20 is insisting on the idea after 99 of the 120 members of Israel's parliament rejected on Wednesday that the world should recognize a Palestinian state without negotiations between the conflicting parties.
The foreign ministers of the G-20 – which, together with the EU and the African Union, brings together the 19 largest economies in the world and represents two-thirds of humanity – dedicated the second day of the meeting to discuss reforms of multilateral relations organizations so that they can shape today's world reflect better. But the first day was dedicated to the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.
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Borrell claims that there is broad consensus in the G-20 on the idea that the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel provides the framework for a solution. “Everyone here, everyone, I haven’t heard anyone object. “I see strong demand for the two-state solution,” explained the EU representative. “This is a consensus between us (…).” The common denominator [en los debates del G-20] “There will be no peace and sustainable security for Israel unless the Palestinians have a clear political perspective for building their own state,” he added. According to him, Arab countries will soon present a corresponding initiative “provided they have enough support.” Washington, too, has doubled down on statements in favor of this ignored recipe over the last decade. In recent years, Israel, the United States and several Arab countries have begun a rapprochement outside of the Palestinians.
The invasion of Israel following the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7 that left 1,200 people dead has given a major boost to a proposal that has been on the table since the 1990s. “We must mobilize our political capacities to advance this solution so that it is implemented.” If not, it is just illusions,” insists the head of European diplomacy in the face of this consensus.
The meeting of G-20 foreign ministers ended without a joint statement. But Vieira, the Brazilian foreign minister, said at the end that several countries had called for the immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas in the Palestinian territory and that there had been calls to allow the flow of aid, which is now surging to help alleviate the situation serious humanitarian crisis and that “many countries” had demanded that Israel reconsider its decision to invade the Rafah area. Borell has warned that the West Bank is “boiling” due to settler attacks on Palestinian civilians.
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Two days after two years of Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU representative sees that “Putin continues the war, with no signs of wanting to end it.” According to Borrell, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has no new developments at the Brazilian meeting on the Kremlin's position.
He has also stressed that “exports” are possible thanks to Ukraine’s military advances [de este paÃs] They are at the pre-war level, but more expensive.”
There is also consensus in the G-20 to reform multilateral organizations such as the UN Security Council. It is necessary for the Brazilian Foreign Minister to welcome new permanent and non-permanent members, especially from Latin America and Africa. But in this informal club, no one is under any illusions that the five countries with veto power (China, France, the United Kingdom, Russia and the United States) are prepared to give up the power they have held since the end of World War II . But given the ineffectiveness of the UN's top body, evidenced by its inability to stop the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, they are paving the way for changes that Brazil has been demanding for decades.
Brazil's priorities for the rotating G-20 presidency also include fighting hunger and poverty and promoting the energy transition.
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