G20 Agrees Two-State Solution Only Way to Resolve Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, Says Brazil

A meeting on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AFP)
A meeting on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AFP)
TT

G20 Agrees Two-State Solution Only Way to Resolve Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, Says Brazil

A meeting on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AFP)
A meeting on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AFP)

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said on Thursday that foreign ministers of G20 countries were nearly unanimous in supporting a two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Vieira was speaking at the end of the two-day meeting of the foreign ministers.

"There was virtual unanimity in the two-state solution as the only solution to the conflict," Vieira was quoted as saying by Reuters.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday that there was consensus on the need for a two-state solution, supported by every speaker who addressed the conflict.

"Everybody here, everybody, I haven't heard anyone against it. There was a strong request for a two-state solution," Borrell told reporters. "It is consensus among us."

"There is not going to be peace ... not going to be sustainable security for Israel unless the Palestinians have a clear political prospect to build their own state," he said.

Borrell said he had asked G20 host country Brazil to "explain to the world that at the G20 everybody was in favor of this solution.”

"We have to mobilize our political capacity to push for this solution to be implemented. Otherwise is just wishful thinking," he said.

He said the crisis in Gaza extends to the West Bank, which is "absolutely boiling" as Israeli settlers are "attacking Palestinian civilians.”

Borrell said he expects Arab nations will make a peace proposal for Gaza in the coming days.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu largely rejects the creation of a Palestinian state. The United States, Israel's biggest international backer, also maintains that a two-state solution is the feasible way to bring sustainable peace to the region.



Heavy Israeli Strikes Shake Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
TT

Heavy Israeli Strikes Shake Beirut’s Southern Suburbs

Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Flames rise after an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Strong explosions in Beirut's southern suburbs began near midnight and continued into Sunday after Israel's military urged residents to evacuate areas in Dahiyeh.

Photos and video showed the blasts illuminating the southern suburbs, and sparking flashes of red and white visible from several kilometers away. They followed a day of sporadic strikes and the nearly continuous buzz of reconnaissance drones.

Israel's military confirmed it was striking targets near Beirut and said about 30 projectiles had crossed

from Lebanon into Israeli territory, with some intercepted.

The strikes reportedly targeted a building near a road leading to Rafik Hariri International Airport, and another building formerly used by the Hezbollah-run broadcaster Al-Manar. Social media reports claimed that one of the strikes hit an oxygen tank storage facility, but this was later denied by the owner of the company Khaled Kaddouha.

Shortly thereafter, Hezbollah claimed in a statement that it successfully targeted a group of Israeli soldiers near the Manara settlement in northern Israel “with a large rocket salvo, hitting them accurately.”

Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said on Saturday that Israel had killed 440 Hezbollah fighters in its ground operations in southern Lebanon and destroyed 2,000 Hezbollah targets. Hezbollah has not released death tolls.

Israel says it stepped up its assault on Hezbollah to enable the safe return of tens of thousands of citizens to homes in northern Israel, bombarded by the group since last Oct. 8.

Israeli authorities said on Saturday that nine Israeli soldiers had been killed in southern Lebanon so far.