Co-chairs of UN international conference on peaceful settlement, implementation of two-state solution express deep concern over recent developments, continued escalation in region
RIYADH: A statement has been released by Co-Chairs of the United Nations High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, France and Saudi Arabia, and by the Co-Chairs of its Working Groups, Qatar, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Norway, Senegal, Spain, Turkiye, United Kingdom, the European Union, and the League of Arab States.
It reads as follows:
We express our deep concern over the recent developments and continued escalation in the region, which has regrettably necessitated the decision to suspend the United Nations High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. These events are a stark reminder of the fragility of the current situation and the urgent need to restore calm, uphold international norms, and reinvigorate diplomacy.
In light of these circumstances, we reaffirm our full commitment to the objectives of the Conference and to continuing its work without interruption. The Roundtables, to be convened shortly, will proceed as an integral part of the Conference process. Building on the contributions of the Working Groups, they will serve to consolidate clear and coordinated commitments and reaffirm the collective resolve to implement the two-State solution.
The Co-Chairs will announce the convening of the high-level segment at the soonest possible opportunity, in line with their commitment to continuing the work and objectives of the Conference.
Now more than ever, the situation compels us to double our efforts to call for upholding international law, respecting the sovereignty of states, and advancing peace, liberty, and dignity for all peoples of the region. We remain resolute in our shared determination to support all efforts to bring an end to the war in Gaza, achieve a just and lasting resolution of the Palestinian question through the implementation of the two-State solution, and ensure stability and security for all countries in the region.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
EU urges Israel to respect law in Gaza, avoids action on ties
Agencies Brussels European Union leaders on Thursday urged Israel to respect humanitarian law but did not draw any consequences for the bloc's formal ties with Israel from a human rights report. An EU internal review into whether Israel still adheres to an EU-Israel Association Agreement, which stipulates that relations between the parties are based on respect for human rights, caused a rift between member states on how to deal with Israel. According to the review, Israel's conduct in the Gaza Strip - particularly restrictions on humanitarian aid - does not align with those principles. While some EU member states have called for the suspension of the partnership agreement with Israel, others prefer not to take any action. In their joint declaration, EU leaders gathered for a summit in Brussels ultimately decided not to act on the findings of the review. The statement, however, 'takes note of the report' and invites EU foreign ministers to continue discussion on it. 'Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law,' a the statement read. The EU 'deplores the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the unacceptable number of civilian casualties and the levels of starvation,' the joint declaration said. 'The European Council calls on Israel to fully lift its blockade on Gaza, to allow immediate, unimpeded access and sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale into and throughout Gaza and to enable the UN and its agencies, and humanitarian organisations, to work independently and impartially to save lives and reduce suffering,' it said. The bloc added it will discuss in July a report from its diplomatic service, which found there were indications Israel had breached its human rights obligations under the terms of a pact governing relations. That meeting could lead to possible EU sanctions on Israel.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Slovakia blocks agreement on new EU sanctions on Russia
Brussels: Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said Thursday at a European Union summit in Brussels that he is not ready to back a proposal for new sanctions on Russia, citing concerns over Slovakia's gas imports. The proposed 18th sanctions package, put forward by the European Commission, targets Russia's financial and energy sectors in response to President Vladimir Putin's refusal to agree to an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine. Ahead of the EU summit, Fico had already threatened to veto the sanctions as he fears repercussions from a separate energy bill. Slovakia objects to the plans by Brussels to completely stop gas-supply contracts with Russia from the start of 2028. A meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to resolve the issue was 'very constructive and pragmatic,' Fico said in a video message posted on X, but did not find a solution. (DPA)
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
EU calls for Gaza ceasefire, stops short of taking action against Israel
European Union leaders meeting in Brussels have condemned the 'catastrophic humanitarian situation' in Gaza, but were unable to unite on means of pressuring Israel to end the war. Thursday's summit noted a report issued last week by the bloc's diplomatic service, which found that Israel was likely flouting human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association agreement. Yet, the bloc stopped short of acting on the assessment or ditching the 25-year-old accord. 'The European Council calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages, leading to a permanent end to hostilities,' the EU said in a statement. Amid growing accusations – backed by rights groups and United Nations experts – that Israel is starving people in Gaza, the EU ordered a review of its association agreement with Israel in May. The assessment, sent to member states last week, was restricted. But several media outlets quoted informed diplomats as saying that the findings highlighted Israel's blockade on Gaza, the killing of civilians, attacks on hospitals and mass displacement of Palestinians in the territory, as well as the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. With a growing chasm between countries critical of Israeli abuses, such as Ireland and Spain, and Israel-backers Germany and Hungary, the summit's conclusions on Thursday featured an attenuated statement that deplored 'the unacceptable number of civilian casualties and the levels of starvation' in Gaza. It postponed 'discussions on a follow-up' to the report until next month. 'They only managed to come up with this watered-down version of the final statement because of those huge differences between some of the key players here at the EU about how to look forward when it comes to Israel,' said Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Brussels. Germany was, he said, 'unequivocal' in terms of its desire to continue providing Israel with political and military assistance. The timid statement came despite a push by Spain and Ireland to suspend the EU-Israel agreement, which was signed in 2000 and underpins trade ties between the two entities. 'The war must stop,' said Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin before the gathering. 'People of Europe find it incomprehensible that Europe does not seem to be in a position to put pressure on Israel … to stop this war in Gaza, to stop the continuing slaughter of children and innocent civilians.' On Thursday alone, Israeli attacks killed 62 people, including some near an aid site run by the shady US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a privately run organisation contracted to provide aid under the cover of Israeli troops and security contractors. Gaza's Government Media Office said on Thursday that at least 549 Palestinians had been killed near GHF sites since it began operations one month ago. The war has killed 56,156 people in total, according to the enclave's Health Ministry. EU leaders called on Israel to lift its blockade on Gaza 'to allow immediate, unimpeded access and sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance' to Gaza. They also condemned the escalation in the West Bank, noting 'increased settler violence' and 'the expansion of illegal settlements'. The EU remains Israel's largest trade partner. 'Sidelined' on Iran Conclusions on the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran repeated prior calls for de-escalation and stated that Iran 'must comply with its legally binding nuclear safeguard obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty'. Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon, while Israel is widely believed to have a nuclear arsenal. Iranian lawmakers have already voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, a decision that was greenlighted by the country's Guardian Council on Thursday. Al Jazeera's Ahelbarra said the wording of the Iran statement showed the EU was 'completely sidelined' over the war, which saw the United States wade in with its bombing of nuclear sites before announcing a ceasefire on Monday. Defence base 'eroded' Besides the Middle East, EU leaders also discussed at Thursday's meeting an 18th round of sanctions against Russia, now into its fourth year of war in Ukraine. Addressing leaders via video, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed for a 'clear political message' that his country was firmly on the path to EU accession. The EU gathering followed Wednesday's NATO summit in the Hague, where leaders agreed on military spending hikes, aiming to contribute 5 percent of their annual gross domestic product (GDP) to defence by 2035. Teresa Fallon, director of Brussels' Centre for Russia, Europe, and Asia Studies, told Al Jazeera that with Russia's ongoing offensive on Ukraine, 'you would expect them to invest even more in their defence base, which has been eroding for the last 30 years'. US President Donald Trump, she said, wanted to 'shift the burden to Europe so that the US can focus more on China'. 'There's a NATO paradox that goes on here because Europeans are fearful that [if] they spend too much, then the US will say: 'Great, you're on your own now and we're going to focus on Asia',' she said.
