France, Germany, Italy, Spain ‘alarmed' by ‘ongoing tensions in occupied Palestinian territories'

By Busra Nur Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Spain are “highly alarmed by the ongoing tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories,” a joint statement said Wednesday.

The statement urged “all parties to refrain from any provocations and unilateral actions, to actively reduce tension and to restore calm,” citing more than 120 Palestinians and over 20 Israelis were killed and many more wounded in 2022.

The statement said Israel has the right to self-defense but “it must respect the principles of international law and international humanitarian law,” adding that “Palestinian security control in area A must be facilitated and effective security coordination restored.”

The foreign ministers also said, “the current tensions are a dire reminder of the necessity of resuming political efforts to achieve the Two-State solution, the only solution to permanently guarantee Israelis and Palestinians a life in peace and security.”