During his speech at the UN Security Council debate on the Middle East, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) once again emphasized the need for a two-state solution. This is the only way to guarantee Israel's long-term security, Schallenberg said on Tuesday afternoon (local time) in New York. He appealed to his Arab neighbors not to allow themselves to be taken hostage by the terrorist organization Hamas.
The situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip is “bleak,” but peace in the region is possible, Schallenberg said optimistically. “Normalization brings political and economic benefits to everyone. Arab partners must not allow themselves to be taken hostage by Hamas”, appealed the Minister of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority (PA) must “finally live up to the legitimate expectations of its population”.
The international community, in turn, called on Schallenberg to do more: “Bringing all hostages home. Alleviating humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Fighting terrorism together. And laying the foundation for a life in peace and dignity for both.” . Both Israelis and Palestinians.”
On the sidelines of the debate in New York, Schallenberg also wanted to meet with his counterparts Riad al-Malki (Palestine), Ayman Safadi (Jordan), Abdallah Bou Habib (Lebanon) and Hakan Fidan (Turkey) for talks. An exchange was also planned with the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno LP Marsudi, and the Algerian chief diplomat, Ahmed Attaf, as well as the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.