The Diplomat
The foreign ministries of Spain, Germany, France and Italy issued a joint statement yesterday calling for a de-escalation of tensions in the West Bank, where clashes between Israelis and Palestinians have escalated in recent days.
In the communiqué, the four countries describe as very worrying “the tensions that are taking place in the occupied Palestinian territories, including in East Jerusalem” and recall that so far this year, at least 120 Palestinians and 20 Israelis have been killed, and the number of injured is even higher.
In such a scenario,” they say, “avoiding the escalation of these figures is vital and, therefore, we demand that all parties avoid any provocation and unilateral action to reduce tension and restore calm”.
Spain, Germany, France and Italy consider that “Israel has the right to defend itself from armed attacks and to hold the perpetrators accountable”, but add that “it must also respect the principles of international law and international humanitarian law”. In particular, they say, Palestinian security control in Area A must be facilitated and effective security coordination restored, as well as “an end to the escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank and ensuring accountability of the relevant authorities”.
Finally, the four European countries reaffirm their conviction that “only by resolving the fundamental political and security issues will Israelis and Palestinians be permanently guaranteed a secure and peaceful life”. They conclude: “The current tensions remind us of the need to preserve the viability of the two-state solution and to resume work towards it.
