Søreide to Egypt, Israel and Palestine

Gaza PalestineGaza City. Photo:OneArmedMan /wikimedia. commons

Søreide meets the leaders of Egypt, Israel and Palestine

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ine Eriksen Søreide (Conservatives), meets Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, during a visit to the region.


“I am concerned about developments in Israel-Palestine relations. There is little trust between the parties. I fear that the turmoil in and around Gaza will escalate. I urge everyone to calm down the situation and show restraint,” Ine Eriksen Søreide, writes in a press release.

Søreide visits Israel and Palestine March 10th and 11th. Among other things, to prepare for the spring meeting in the Donor Group for Palestine, aka the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC). AHCL is presided over by Norway.

Urgent

“I want to use the meetings to discuss the demanding situation with both parties. Contribute to progress in the donor group, AHLC’s efforts to strengthen the Palestinian economy, and stabilize the situation in Gaza. It is urgent to implement measures and projects that will improve living conditions in Gaza. The Palestinian economy is very vulnerable. It is therefore important to contribute to a minimum of financial stability,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs continues.

On the Palestinian side, Eriksen Søreide will meet Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Riad Malki, and Minister of Finance, Shukri Bishara. From the Israeli side, she will meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz, and the Minister of Regional Affairs, Tzachi Hanegbi.

She will also meet the profiled Norwegian Police Officer, Einar Aas. Aas has led the International Observer Force (TIPH) in Hebron, which was expelled from Israel on January 31st.

Onwards to Egypt

Afterwards, Eriksen Søreide travels to Cairo. There she meets with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit on March 12th.

“Egypt plays an important role both in the Middle East and Africa. It is engaged in international efforts to address global challenges. Norway is working closely with the country to stabilise the situation in Gaza,” Søreide concludes.


© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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