Davos: Those days of imposing a new future on Middle Eastern countries are ‘over,’ the Austrian chancellor said Thursday. The debates on whether Europe’s role was diminished in the Middle East could be a ‘good thing because sometimes it means there is a stronger regional ownership,’ Alexander Schallenberg told a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

According to Anadolu Agency, Schallenberg emphasized that discussions about the future of regions like Gaza and Syria should not be dictated by external forces. ‘These days are over, and that is actually a good thing. We are not in the 19th century, not in the first half of the 20th century,’ he stated, advocating for Europe’s role to be one of support for regional ownership. ‘So it is not us delivering the solution, but supporting those who have smart ideas in the region . They have to find a way. And if we talk about the two-state solution, same thing, there is a limit to what you can do from outside,’ Schallenberg added.

Bronwen Maddox, Director and Chief Executive of Chatham House, also contributed to the panel discussion, highlighting the challenges facing the region. She expressed skepticism about the prospects for regional prosperity without resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Maddox noted a temporary ‘cessation of the death toll in Gaza’ due to a recent ceasefire but was pessimistic about the chances of achieving a two-state solution. ‘I think Israel has taken this tactic of ignoring the problem as far as you could, and you see where it gets it in the end,’ she remarked.