EU highlights backing for Palestinians amid Iran War
European officials put on a show of support for the Palestinian Authority and the push for a two-state solution on Monday, as the US-Israeli war with Iran has dragged focus away from Israel's war on Gaza.
The efforts to bolster the Palestinian Authority come as US President Donald Trump has sidelined it in his plans for Gaza and the "Board of Peace" initiative.
"We meet in the middle of a storm. But we cannot abandon the compass," said Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot at the start of a meeting of the "Global Alliance for the Two-State Solution".
"We must hold the course, because the Israeli-Palestinian issue is affecting the Middle East as a whole and also the rest of the world."
The European Union believes Ramallah-based authorities have a key role to play in post-war Gaza.
"We can and must do more to ensure respect for human rights and accountability, to protect the Palestinian people and to put the two-state solution solidly on the table again," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot (L), EU High Representative Kaja Kallas (C) and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa (R) attend the ninth meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, at Egmont Palace, Brussels, 20 April 2026 (Eric Lalmand / AFP)