One more chance of peace for the Middle East

Over the years, the whole world has been fully committed to a Two-State Solution, with Israel and a Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security.
Amid Israel's shocking brutality in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, a small window of hope has nonetheless emerged. Almost the entire world has coalesced around the two-state solution as the key to regional peace.
The State of Palestine was officially established by the Palestine Liberation Organization on 15 November 1988. It asserts its authority over the territories of historic Palestine that were occupied by Israel in 1967, namely the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip.
The UN, on its 80th birthday in 2025, can mark the occasion by securing a lasting solution to the conflict in the Middle East, by welcoming the State of Palestine as the 194th UN member state. The upcoming UN Conference on Palestine, set for June 2025, can be a turning point - a decisive, irreversible path towards peace in the Middle East.
All States must follow the example of 146 United Nations Member States and recognise the State of Palestine and use all political and diplomatic resources at their disposal to bring about an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, UN experts said on June 3, 2024.
Following Hamas's brutal terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October 2023 and the ensuing conflict, the EU has been engaged in diplomatic efforts in the region and internationally to contribute to finding a way out of the cycle of violence.
The EU has significantly increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza since 2023, reaching ?450 million in January 2025, when the European Commission announced its latest aid package worth $120 million.
The more so, thousands of people all over the world use any opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to peace in the Middle East and take part in protests for Palestine.
Thousands take part in pro-Palestine protests across the world. Thus, at the end of last year protests took place in major world cities, including London, Madrid and Istanbul. Thousands of people have taken to the streets around the world to protest against the war in Gaza as Israel pledges to go forward with its offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza.
Waving pro-Palestinian flags and banners, thousands marched through the streets of Madrid, Spain to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
In January 2025 such demonstration took place in Dublin. Protesters marched from the Garden of Remembrance to Leinster House. The demonstration was organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), supported by more than 150 Irish civil society groups. IPSC Chairperson ZoÃÆ’Æ’ Ã ? à ï ? ? ? ? à ï ? ? ? ? Lawlor welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza, but said it was fragile and that Israel was still killing Palestinians.
The 2025 UN Conference is therefore a vital opportunity, one that could unlock a comprehensive peace for the Middle East.