Bahrain calls for direct negotiations between Palestine, Israel authorities

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, has called for direct negotiations between the Palestine and Israeli sides to sustain lasting peace in the region. This came during the minister’s participation in the Extraordinary Session of the Council of the Arab League at the Ministerial Level held yesterday at the Arab League in Cairo in the presence of President Mahmoud Abbas.

In his statement, Shaikh Khalid reaffirmed the Kingdom’s unequivocal position on the Palestinian issue and its support for all efforts aimed at reaching a just and comprehensive solution to this issue, leading up to the restoration of all legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people.

As for the plan put forward by the President of the United States of America, Shaikh Khalid expressed Bahrain’s appreciation of this plan and its aspiration to study its positive outcomes and requirements for its completion, and to begin direct negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to reach an agreement that meets all our aspirations for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, and that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the principle of a two-state solution and based on the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international legitimacy resolutions.

Shaikh Khalid also stressed the importance for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in protecting the brotherly Palestinian people from any unilateral steps that are inconsistent with the United Nations resolutions and international law. The minister expressed the Kingdom appreciation of the significant efforts exerted by President Mahmoud Abbas and his keenness to unify the Arab position towards developments made in regards to the Palestinian issue, which is considered the main issue.

The meeting also issued a statement in which it emphasised the centrality of the question of Palestine to the entire Arab nation, the Arab identity of occupied East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine, and the right of the State of Palestine to sovereignty over all its occupied land in 1967, including East Jerusalem, its air and sea space, its territorial waters, its natural resources, and its borders with neighbouring countries.

The statement also stressed adherence to peace as a strategic option for resolving the conflict and the need for the basis of the peace process to be a two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the adopted international references. It also noted that the way to achieve this is through serious negotiations within a multilateral international framework in order to achieve a comprehensive peace that embodies the independence and sovereignty of the State of Palestine along the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to live in security and peace alongside Israel.

The statement emphasised working with just and influential peace-loving international powers to take appropriate action on any plan that would prejudice the rights of the Palestinian people and the terms of reference for the peace process, including addressing the Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly and other international organisations. The statement also stressed the full support extended towards the struggle of the Palestinian people and its national leadership, led by President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas.