BRICS Summit Backs Palestinian State, Launches New Initiatives

BRICS leaders concluded their 18th summit in New Delhi on Sunday, September 13, 2026, with a declaration that endorsed a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine and called for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. The New Delhi Declaration, adopted after marathon talks on the summit's first day, also launched new cooperation initiatives on climate, agriculture, and supply chains. The declaration, a 140-point document, reaffirmed support for a sovereign, independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and backed full United Nations membership for Palestine. It called for an end to the occupation of Palestinian and Lebanese land and demanded Israel withdraw its forces from all Lebanese territories. The bloc condemned starvation as a method of warfare, attacks on civilians, and the blocking of aid, while reaffirming support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. The Palestinian foreign ministry welcomed the declaration, particularly its rejection of attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians and its call to protect holy sites in Jerusalem. The ministry urged the translation of these positions into practical steps.