On 11 January 2021, the ministers of foreign affairs of Egypt, France, Germany and Jordan, met in Cairo to discuss means to continue the Middle East Peace Process in order to achieve “a just, comprehensive and lasting peace”.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministers also shared their recent communications with their Palestinian and Israeli counterparts.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting concluded with the following points:
1 – The ministers called upon both، Israelis and Palestinians، to increase their cooperation and open dialogue, welcoming the Palestinian Authority’s decision to restore cooperation with Israel based on Israel’s commitment to past bilateral agreements.
2 – Based on the principles laid out in their joint statement on 24 September 2020 in Amman, the ministers stressed their commitment to supporting all efforts aimed at achieving peace in the Middle East, in accordance with international law and United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
3- The ministers emphasised their commitment to a two-state solution that guarantees an independent Palestinian state based on 4 June 1967 lines and UNSC resolutions.
4 – The ministers stressed the importance of the United States (US) role in this context, and expressed willingness to work with the US towards facilitating peace negotiations.
5- They called on concerned parties to refrain from any unilateral actions undermining a future solution to the conflict. They called on Israel to “immediately and completely” cease all settlement activities including in East Jerusalem. They also stressed that the “expansion of Israeli settlements and confiscation of Palestinian properties” are a violation of international law.
6- They stressed the importance of preserving historical and legal status quo of the Holy sites in Jerusalem.
7- They emphasised the importance of the peace treaties between Arab states and Israel, including the recently signed agreements with UAE, Morocco and Bahrain, in contributing to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
8- They urged all parties to exert collective efforts and take practical steps to launch and sponsor credible negotiations.
9- They welcomed the recent Palestinian reconciliation and the Palestinian authority’s willingness to hold fair elections.
10 – They emphasised the importance of United Nations Relief and Works Agency UNRWA for Palestinian refugees.
11 – The ministers agreed on the need to monitor developments related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and called for the immediate resumption of talks.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministers agreed to reach out to their Palestinian and Israeli counterparts to discuss the results of the ministerial discussions and agreed to hold the next meeting in France.