Merkel Meets Abbas for Talks in Berlin

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that Germany  still believes that a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians is the only way for both peoples "to live in peace and security.''

Merkel stressed her support for a two-state solution ahead of talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Chancellery in Berlin.

"We appreciate Chancellor Merkel's efforts to create multilateral cooperation aside from unilateral solutions to create stability and peace in the world,'' Abbas said.

He stressed the importance of Germany's role in the Middle East and thanked the country for its financial support for Palestinians' health services, education and the strengthening of civil society.

Germany is one of the biggest donors to the Palestinians having given them some 110 million euros ($121.8 million) in 2018.

"two-state solution"

The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict envisages an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River.

The boundary between the two states is still subject to dispute and negotiation, with Palestinian and Arab leadership insisting on the "1967 borders", which is not accepted by Israel.

In 1974, a UN resolution on the "Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine" called for "two States, Israel and Palestine … side by side within secure and recognized borders" together with "a just resolution of the refugee question in conformity with UN resolution 194".

The borders of the state of Palestine would be "based on the pre-1967 borders". The latest resolution, in November 2013, was passed 165 to 6, with 6 abstentions, with Israel and the United States voting against.

The Palestinian leadership has embraced the concept since the 1982 Arab Summit in Fez.

Polls have consistently shown Israeli and Palestinian majorities in favor of a negotiated two-state settlement.

There have been many diplomatic efforts to realize a two-state solution, starting from the 1991 Madrid Conference. There followed the 1993 Oslo Accords and the failed 2000 Camp David Summit followed by the Taba negotiations in early 2001.

In 2002, the Arab League proposed the Arab Peace Initiative. The latest initiative, which also failed, was the 2013–14 peace talks.