No solution other than 2-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict: EU foreign policy chief

ATHENS

There can be no other solution other than a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the EU foreign policy chief said on Monday.

Speaking at joint news conference after a meeting of EU-Israel Association Council, Kaja Kallas said: “We support the Palestinian Authority and its return to Gaza. We support the return of every displaced Palestinian for whom Gaza is their home.”

She added: "When the time comes, the EU will also support Gaza's reconstruction, together with the regional actors. Palestinians must be able to live in Gaza.”

Commenting on the reports that leader of Germany’s Friedrich Merz, the likely next chancellor of the country, invited Israeli Primer Benjamin Netanyahu despite an arrest warrant issued International Criminal Court (ICC), Kallas said: “EU supports the ICC, and neutrality and functioning of the ICC and the principles of the Rome Statue, and all the EU member states are also parties to the Rome Statute.”

She, however, maintained that the enforcement of the ICC warrant is up to the member states to decide.

Also speaking, the EU commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Suica, warned that Israel’s right to self-defense has to be in line with the international law and international humanitarian law.

“Civilian lives, humanitarian workers and vital infrastructure, hospital, schools and UN premises must be protected at all time,” she added.

“The European Union remains firmly committed to two-state solution and opposes actions that undermine its viability."

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, for his part, blamed solely the Palestinians, including Palestinian Authority, for the current state of affairs.

Claiming that Israel also fights for the EU, he criticized the approach of the 27-member bloc towards the handling of the war in Gaza.

“This approach will not give the European Union a strong and influential position. Quite the opposite. We are always open to listening and open to dialog, but no one will force us to endanger our people,” Saar argued.

The ICC issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave that has claimed more than 48,000 lives and reduced the enclave to a rubble.