Ashraf AboArafe
Ahead of the High-Level International Conference on a Peaceful Settlement to the Palestinian Question and Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held in New York from July 28 to 30, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit took part in a special dialogue session showcasing the outcomes of the conference’s working groups.
Alongside Dubravka Šuica, European Commissioner for Democracy and Demography, Aboul Gheit presented the final outcomes of Working Group 8, focused on “Peace Day Efforts,” jointly chaired by the Arab League and the European Union.
According to the Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Jamal Rushdy, Aboul Gheit highlighted the constructive commitments and contributions submitted by various states, international and regional organizations, and civil society under the “Peace Day Efforts” initiative. These include the EU-backed “Peace Support Package,” which could be extended to both Palestinians and Israelis—as well as the broader region—if a two-state solution is implemented and an independent, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state is established.
He emphasized that the essence of this vision was first laid out 23 years ago in the Arab Peace Initiative—yet Israel has failed to respond.
Aboul Gheit firmly stated that a permanent regional peace and sustainable coexistence are only possible through an end to Israel’s occupation and settlement expansion in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. He warned that Israel’s belief that it can secure normalization and coexistence without ending the occupation and making peace with the Palestinians is nothing but a dangerous illusion.
