Spain hosted a meeting on Friday about the Palestinians' future in the Middle East, discussing when and how the war between Israel and terrorist-stamped Hamas will end.
The international community must take decisive steps towards a just and long-lasting peace in the Middle East, said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in his opening speech.
The meeting in Madrid discussed how a future Palestinian state can be created and how Palestine can gain economic access.
However, the conference's significance was diminished by the absence of both the USA and Israel.
Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Labour Party) emphasized the importance of avoiding a political power vacuum when the parties in the conflict reach an agreement on a ceasefire.
It should also be planned for the Palestinian authority to regain control over Gaza, and for Hamas to be disarmed, said Eide.
At the same time, he was pessimistic about the near future:
With the current government (in Israel), we will not see any progress.
