Norwegian Foreign Minister voiced concern over the position of the Israeli Prime Minister – File / Photo: AFP
Doha: Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has said that a Palestinian state is necessary for peace in the Middle East, and a two-state solution is also in the interest of Israel.
In an interview with Qatari media organization Al Jazeera, Espen Barth Eide discussed efforts to stop the Gaza war in light of the Oslo Accords for peace between Israel and Palestine.
Regarding the two-state solution, the Norwegian Foreign Minister said that the recommendation of a two-state solution under the Oslo Accords has again come to the fore, but denial of a two-state solution by the current Israeli Prime Minister is concerning.
He said that several Israeli governments have made it clear that the solution to the Palestinian issue will be through the establishment of two states, including an independent Palestinian state and the state of Israel, and under the accords, both will remain peaceful.
He said that negotiations and arrangements between the two states will take care of the affairs in the Palestinian state, including the administration of institutions established there, including the western coast and other areas including Gaza.
The Norwegian Foreign Minister said that he is confident that the Palestinians have the complete right to their state, which should not only exist in words, but practically and with its own borders and functioning as a state that serves its people and allows people within Palestine to have the right to choose their leadership democratically.
Espen Barth Eide said that Israel has been repeatedly told that if they want to remain a Zionist Israeli and a democratic state in the future, they will have to resolve the issue of Palestine.
He said that if the Palestinians want a better economy and want to provide their people with standard facilities, they should also have complete political rights.
Regarding the Palestinian state, he said that settlement in occupied territories is illegal, as expressed in several United Nations agreements, and if they want to establish a state of Palestine, then its borders are essential.
He said that I understand that a two-state solution is not only in the interest of the Palestinians, but also of Israel, because for Israel to become a sustainable state, the concerns of safety need to be addressed.
The Norwegian Foreign Minister compared Israeli actions in Gaza to the Ukrainian war, saying that the repetition of a dual standard is not just visible but I have discussed that it should not seem that a dual standard is being applied, but rather ensure that our position is consistent on similar matters because it is not beneficial on a global level.