G20 Backs Two-State Solution as Resolution to Middle East Conflict

In a significant move that amplifies international pressure on Israel, the G20 foreign ministers, concluding their meeting in Brazil, have collectively backed the two-state solution as the pathway to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This endorsement comes in the wake of the Israeli Knesset's overwhelming vote against any "unilateral" recognition of a Palestinian state, a decision Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said sends a "strong message to the international community."

The focus of the two-day G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro was dominated by the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, alongside discussions on the Russian war in Ukraine and the inefficacy of the United Nations and other international bodies.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira informed journalists that there was a "real consensus on the two-state solution as the only possible solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine."

A source from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry clarified to Agence France-Presse that Vieira's avoidance of the term "consensus" was solely because not all ministers addressed the issue.

However, those who did express their views unanimously supported the two-state solution, with a substantial number of ministers aligning with this stance.

The meeting saw participation from G20 foreign ministers, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the European Union's Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell.

Borrell urged Vieira to use his closing statement to convey to the world that the entire G20 supports the two-state solution, envisioning an independent Palestinian state coexisting alongside Israel.

He emphasized that peace and sustainable security for Israel are unattainable without a clear political horizon for Palestinians to establish their state. Borrell also expressed his hope for a forthcoming proposal from the Arab world in this direction.

Echoing this sentiment, Blinken called for a "concrete pathway to a Palestinian state," according to his prepared remarks.

In a press conference, he highlighted intense efforts to reach an agreement that would facilitate the release of hostages in Gaza and lead to an extended humanitarian ceasefire.

As the war in Gaza exceeds four months, with escalating warnings of an impending humanitarian disaster, Israel faces increasing international pressure, including from its key ally, the United States, to consent to the establishment of a Palestinian state.