• Rights of residents in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods with regard to home ownership “must be respected”: Statement

Mohammed Abu Zaid

CAIRO: Egypt, France, Germany and Jordan have announced their support for peace efforts between Palestine and Israel based on the two-state solution.

A statement issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs following a meeting of foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference said that the four countries “support all efforts to achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace that fulfills the legitimate rights of all parties on the basis of the two-state solution, in accordance with international law, relevant UN resolutions and agreed parameters, including the Arab Peace Initiative.”

The group of ministers previously met in in Amman on Sept. 24, 2020, in Cairo on Jan. 11, 2021, and in Paris on March 11, 2021.

The statement added that the newest meeting addressed increasing tensions on the ground.

“Against this backdrop, we recall the urgency of the resumption of serious, meaningful and effective talks and negotiations directly between the parties or under a UN umbrella, including under the Middle East Quartet.”

The statement also stressed “the importance of creating political and economic horizons.”

“In that regard, we would like to see further mutual confidence-building measures based on reciprocal commitments, with the aim of improving the living conditions of the Palestinian people and restoring meaningful negotiations.”

The four ministers urged “the need to refrain from all unilateral measures that undermine the two-state solution and the prospects of a just and lasting peace, in particular the building and expansion of settlements, the confiscation of land and the eviction of Palestinians from their homes, including in East Jerusalem, as well as from any acts of violence and incitement.”

The rights of residents in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods with regard to the ownership of homes “must be respected,” the statement said, emphasizing the importance of “upholding the historic and legal status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

“In this regard, we recall the importance of the historic Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem’s holy sites.”

The statement said that there is a need to support “the indispensable role of UNRWA and the need to provide it with the political and financial support it needs to continue to fulfill its UN mandate and provide its vital services to refugees.”

It also urged the importance of “all peace treaties between Arab states and Israel contributing to the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution so that comprehensive and lasting peace is achieved.”