On Thursday, the foreign ministers of Egypt, France, Germany, and Jordan wrapped up their meeting in Paris where they discussed efforts to push forward the Middle East peace process in a bid to reach comprehensive and just peace.
The UN special envoy to the Middle East and the EU special representative for the Middle East peace process were present.
In a joint statement, participants in the meeting announced their welcome of opportunity to allow more debates on taking all steps possible to provide a favorable atmosphere for resuming dialogue between the parties to the Middle East peace.
They also asserted that settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is an inevitable matter for achieving a comprehensive peace in the region, reiterating their strong commitment to exerting all possible efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on international law and UN resolutions.
They urged not to take any unilateral actions that might undermine the future of reaching a just and permanent solution to the conflict, calling for halting all settlement activities including East Jerusalem, based on the relevant UN resolutions. They also agreed that the policy of settlement expansion, confiscation of Palestinian lands and property are considered a flagrant violation of international law and undermine the two-state solution.
The foreign ministers also welcomed efforts by the Palestinian and Israeli sides in countering the spread of the coronavirus, urging them to closely cooperate over public health issues and the economic crisis which is caused by the pandemic.
They also welcomed preparations for the Palestinian elections, calling on all parties to respect the election process and abide by democratic principles and ban any acts of violence.
The ministers also voiced their appreciation of the role played by UNRWA in offering all humanitarian help and basic needs to Palestinian refugees in accordance with UN authorization.
They also voiced readiness for closely working with the Quartet committee and the US to urge all parties to abide by efforts aimed at realizing just and comprehensive peace in the region.
In December, a quartet committee between the foreign ministers of Egypt, France, Germany and Jordan convened in Cairo to discuss the ways of reviving the peace negotiation between Israel and Palestine as it has been suspended since April 2014.
The quartet was established in February 2020 on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
On January 6, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held talks over the phone with Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi in the preparation for the meeting, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
“This is a group of countries that seek to advance peace efforts in the region during the next stage in coordination with the United States, the International Quartet, and all concerned parties,” the statement said.
“Bilateral coordination is taking place as well with the Palestinian side in the framework of the necessary arrangements for the quartet meeting, whereby Minister Shoukry held another call with Foreign Minister of Palestine Riyad al-Maliki, in light of the Egyptian stances aimed at reaching a just and viable solution to the Palestinian Cause,” the statement added.
The solution Egypt has been advocating for is establishing a Palestinian state having as capital Eastern Jerusalem and having the borders that had existed before the Six-Day War began on June 5, 1967.
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