A rainbow appears over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb 15, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group. (PHOTO / AFP)
RAMALLAH/CANBERRA/CAIRO/ATHENS/ANKARA - Palestine said on Thursday that obtaining its full UN membership is the right path to the two-state solution for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that "any political initiative to stop the war and resolve the conflict that is not based on the full membership of the State of Palestine in the United Nations and its recognition by Western countries and America will fail."
The ministry welcomed all regional and international efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, protect Palestinian civilians, and release hostages and prisoners.
READ MORE: Israel says its forces killed Hamas, Hezbollah commanders
Earlier Thursday, the US newspaper The Washington Post published a plan that the US administration is formulating with Arab countries, which includes "the completion of a detailed and comprehensive plan for long-term peace between Israel and the Palestinians, including a solid timetable for peace and the establishment of the state".
Leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand have called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, stressing that a sustainable ceasefire is necessary to finding a path toward securing a lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians
According to the plan, the Palestinian state that will be created is expected to be announced "in the coming weeks".
The last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, sponsored by the United States, broke down in 2014 largely because of their divisions on the settlement issues.
The Palestinians seek to establish an independent state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, while Israel insists that the entire city of Jerusalem is its eternal indivisible capital.
Countries urge ceasefire
Leaders of Australia, Canada and New Zealand have called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, stressing that a sustainable ceasefire is necessary to finding a path toward securing a lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
READ MORE: Israeli forces storm Nasser Hospital in Gaza's Khan Younis
According to a joint statement by prime ministers of the three countries on Thursday, they expressed "grave concern" over indications that Israel was planning a ground offensive into Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
“We urge the Israeli government not to go down this path. There is simply nowhere else for civilians to go," it said.
A handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency shows Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi (right) receiving his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Cairo on Feb 15, 2024. (PHOTO / EGYPTIAN PRESIDENCY VIA AFP)
Also on Thursday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi held talks with visiting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Cairo, during which the two leaders agreed on the importance of reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, releasing the hostages and prisoners, and delivering as much aid to the strip as possible to protect the lives of civilians.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki stressed the need for a political solution to end the crisis, let in humanitarian aid and establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital
They also expressed their support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to put an end to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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In Athens, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis called for an immediate and lasting cessation of hostilities in Gaza during a meeting with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki on Thursday.
Gerapetritis said Greece will continue to express its position by actively participating in international forums and sending humanitarian aid to the region.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (right) attends a meeting with his Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis, in Athens, Greece, on Feb 15, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki condemned Israel's daily attacks and stressed the need for a political solution to end the crisis, let in humanitarian aid and establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
ALSO READ: UN chief: Two-state solution only way out of Gaza conflict
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country aimed to develop cooperation with Egypt in a bid to reach peace in Gaza and a lasting resolution in the Palestinian cause.
Erdogan told reporters on Thursday on his return trip to Türkiye after meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo, according to the semi-official Anadolu Agency.
