The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, France, Germany and Jordan reiterated during a meeting in New York yesterday their commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

The meeting, held in the presence of Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, aimed to consult and coordinate policies “with a view to advancing the Middle East Peace Process towards a just, comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution,” according to a statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting.

“We emphasize that the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of the two-state solution is indispensable for comprehensive peace in the region. We remain firmly committed to enabling and supporting all efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on international law, relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and agreed parameters, including the Arab Peace Initiative. We reiterate our conviction that only a negotiated two-state solution based on June 4, 1967, lines, and consistent with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, ensuring an independent, contiguous and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel, can fulfill the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians,” said the foreign minister in their statement.

It added: “We recall the urgency of resuming direct, serious, meaningful and effective negotiations between the parties at the earliest possible point in time. In the absence of such negotiations, we underline the importance of urgently creating political and economic horizons, in order to preserve the prospects of the two state solution, including by exploring the possibility of a comprehensive regional approach to peace. We encourage further mutual confidence-building measures based on reciprocal commitments, with a view to improving living conditions for the Palestinian people, bearing in mind the positive impact of better economic conditions on security.

“We stress the need for an immediate and complete cessation of all unilateral actions, acts of violence against civilians and pressure against civil society, as well as all acts of provocation and incitement and emphasize the obligation of all parties to respect international law and international humanitarian law and ensure that civilians can live in peace, security and dignity. We deplore the high number of civilians killed in recent weeks and months, including a number of children and women, and stress the need to ensure and prioritize their protection.

“We stress the need to refrain from all unilateral measures that undermine the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects of a just and lasting peace, and underline the importance of respecting and preserving the territorial unity, contiguity and integrity of all the occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem. This includes the need to immediately cease all settlement activities, the confiscation of land and the eviction of Palestinians from their homes, in violation of international law. In this context, we reiterate our particular concern regarding the eviction of the inhabitants of the ‘Masafer Yatta’ region, and stress that the rights of the residents of the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods with regard to their homes must be respected.

“We express our concern regarding recent escalations in Jerusalem and underline the importance of respecting and upholding the status quo of Jerusalem’s Holy sites. In this respect, we recall the importance of the Hashemite custodianship of the Holy sites in Jerusalem. Also, religious holidays must never be instrumentalized for political purposes.

“We recall the need to take necessary steps to produce a fundamental change to the political, security and economic situation in the Gaza Strip. In this regard, we commend the important role played by Egypt and UNESCO in efforts to stop the last round of escalation in and around Gaza and call for a full respect of the cease-fire by all parties.

“We reaffirm the indispensable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in providing humanitarian assistance and essential services and the need to provide it with the political and financial support to fulfill its UN General Assembly mandate ahead of its renewal by the end of this year. We welcome the Ministerial-level meeting on the margins of the 77th United Nations General Assembly high-level segment, hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Kingdom of Sweden, to discuss the serious human rights, development, political, and security ramifications of UNRWA’s financial Crisis.

“We will continue to work with all parties to create realistic horizons for the resumption of a credible political process and will explore options to cooperate with international and regional partners in this regard. We stress that the attainment of a just and lasting peace is a strategic objective that is in the interest of all parties and key to security and stability in the region.”