During the ongoing conflict in Gaza, several government leaders now see an opportunity to promote the two-state solution, which has long been discussed as a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At a recent Nordic summit in Stockholm, both the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of achieving lasting peace through a two-state solution.
Jonas Gahr Støre pointed out that although the path to a two-state solution may seem longer than ever, there is now a broader consensus that it is the only sustainable solution for the future. “Never have there been so many saying that it is the solution that exists for the future,” he said during the summit. Olaf Scholz, whose government has traditionally had a strong alliance with Israel, also noted a shifting dynamic in the region that could pave the way for new security partnerships.
“The recent months have shown that it is more than realistic,” stated Scholz, adding that Arab countries’ willingness to engage in the conflict could lead to a security partnership between Palestine, Israel, and the Arab neighboring countries. This development follows a UN vote where an overwhelming majority voted to admit Palestine as a member state. Although Germany abstained from voting, Scholz emphasized that Germany continues to work towards a two-state solution, where Israel and a Palestinian state can coexist peacefully.
These statements from two prominent European leaders underscore a growing international consensus on the need to find a lasting solution to the longstanding conflict in the Middle East. While the way forward is still uncertain, it appears that there is a renewed willingness to work towards a two-state solution, which many see as the only path to real peace in the region.