Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in Spain on Friday to attend a meeting of ministers from Muslim and European countries aimed at advancing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The meeting brought together members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza, which includes countries such as Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed Fidan and other participants at his official residence before the meeting at the Foreign Ministry in central Madrid, hosted by his top diplomat Jose Manuel Albares. The European Union's foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, also took part in the talks, his office said in a separate statement.
Albares said Spain calls for a clear schedule for the international community to implement a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"We meet to make another push for the end of the war in Gaza, for a way out of the unending spiral of violence between the Palestinians, the Israelis ... That way is clear. The implementation of the two-state solution is the only way," Albares told reporters.
Albares said there was "a clear willingness" among the participants, who notably do not include Israel, "to move on from words to actions and to make strides toward a clear schedule for the effective implementation" of a two-state solution, starting with Palestine joining the United Nations.
Israel was not invited because it was not part of the contact group, Albares said, adding though that "we will be delighted to see Israel at any table where peace and the two-state solution are discussed."
Türkiye is a firm supporter of the two-state solution with the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as an independent Palestine’s capital.
Fidan himself has led an intense diplomatic push for Ankara’s aims to facilitate a cease-fire in Gaza, uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave, and necessary steps toward a two-state solution.
His office said he and his European and Muslim counterparts discussed the steps for cooperation for a two-state solution with Albares.
At the meeting, Fidan was expected to stress the need for the international community to put pressure on Israel, more countries to join the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), for Palestine to become a U.N. member and be recognized by more countries.
Türkiye has been a fervent critic of Israel, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, accusing Tel Aviv of committing genocide and criticizing Western nations for backing Israel.
In May, Türkiye suspended trade with Israel, citing its assault on Gaza, and in August, formally applied to join South Africa's initiative to have Israel tried for genocide at the ICJ.
The contact group was founded in November last year at the extraordinary joint summit of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It was assigned to take international action to stop the conflict in Gaza and help achieve lasting peace.
The group has so far made joint initiatives to stop Israeli attacks on Gaza in several capitals like London, Paris, New York, Washington, Ottawa, Oslo and Madrid.
Albares hosted a diplomatic meeting with the group in May in which participants discussed what steps could be taken to advance the two-state solution, which would create a state for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip alongside Israel.
“A two-state solution is the only way to guarantee a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” Albares told reporters Friday before the meeting.
He said a “secure and peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians would be possible through the formation of an independent Palestinian state," which would include Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem as its capital.
"This is what motivated Spain's recognition on May 28 of Palestine as a state, together with Norway, Ireland and Slovenia," he said.
Expressing support for the efforts to secure an urgent cease-fire deal for Gaza, Albares added: "There is no excuse to continue to postpone the agreement and to prolong the suffering of millions of innocent civilians."
On the Israeli killing of Turkish-American activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, Albares said Spain “rejects” the incident and called for measures against the killing of civilians.
Stressing that the meeting should "focus on Gaza," Albares said: "We must do whatever is necessary to prevent violence in Gaza. We must encourage peace between Israel and Palestine."
Calls for the solution have grown since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, which began with Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel. That attack resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages, 97 of whom are still in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel has responded with a genocidal offensive that has killed at least 41,118 people in Gaza. The U.N. rights office says most of the dead are women and children.
Sanchez has been one of the staunchest critics in Europe of Israel's Gaza offensive since the start of the conflict.
Under his watch, Spain, on May 28, along with Ireland and Norway, formally recognized the State of Palestine comprising the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Earlier this month, he announced that the first "bilateral summit between Spain and Palestine" would be held before the end of the year. He said he expected "several collaboration agreements between the two states" to be signed.
