In the past, they have held talks in, among other places, the USA, China and Russia. During Friday, they meet with the Nordic countries, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. It will all take place in the tiger city. The purpose of the group is to work for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and to initiate a discussion about what a lasting two-state solution might look like. The members present are the foreign ministers from Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority. Here is the OIC group in conversation with Joe Biden in Washington DC Photo: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / Reuters Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide tells news that the meeting can “create some new ideas about how we should proceed”. – All the countries that come here want a ceasefire and have worked intensely for it, he says. But the main focus is what comes afterwards, he says further. – These countries are deeply troubled, both for the situation in Gaza itself and in the Middle East in the whole context of the conflict between Hamas and Israel, but also for its spread and how this affects the entire large region. The group was established by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in November. Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria are also members, but their delegates did not join Norway. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani already arrived on Thursday evening. He is both prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar – the tiny country that talks to everyone. Qatar has previously been a mediator between the US and the Taliban, and between the US and Iran. In the last month, they have also been mediators in the prisoner exchanges and cease-fire agreements between Israel and Hamas. Palestinian desire for a two-state solution The Palestinian ambassador to Norway, Marie Antoinette Sedin, is optimistic when she sees the list of countries that are in Oslo on Friday: – There is representation at a very high level. These are decision makers, she says to news. The Palestinian ambassador has high hopes for the meeting in Oslo on Friday. Photo: Benjamin Danielsen / news Sedin says that the first priority during the meeting should be to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire. The second is to stop the war. She believes that a two-state solution is closer than anything, and that this is absolutely necessary for Palestinians. – What should come out of this meeting are new requirements. A demand for Israel to accept a two-state solution. – What responsibility does the international community have? – To follow up on international law. And we must push for a two-state solution. Israel is at odds with the United States, its most important ally, which wants talks on establishing an independent Palestinian state to start up again. Photo: Ronen Zvulun / AP But Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised speech earlier this week that it will not be relevant for Israel to have a new two-state solution. – I will not let Israel make the same mistake as the Oslo agreement. – Gaza will not become Hamas and Fatahstan. Hamas unclear about two-state solution In November, news met Hamas’s international spokesperson, Osama Hamdan. He was asked about what Hamas can do to find a solution to the conflict. Hamdan then replied that “there was never any Israel, and there never will be”, implying that Hamas does not recognize Israel as a state. Photo: ABOUJAOUDE IMAD / news But in December, another high-ranking official in Hamas, Mousa Abu Marzouk, stated the opposite. In an interview with Al Monitor, Marzouk opened up for a two-state solution, and for recognizing Israel. There are therefore different opinions within Hamas about where they stand.
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Arab foreign ministers in Oslo – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
