Israel and Palestine to resume direct negotiation in September

Brussels - Israel and Palestine will resume direct bilateral negotiations on the 2nd of September in Washington, as a response to an invitation from the United States.

The Middle East Quartet, consisting of the European Union, the United Nations, the Russian Federation, and the United States wants the negotiations to lead to a settlement between the parties. The new negotiations should end the occupation which began in 1967 and result in the emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors. The four members of the Quartet issued a joint statement expressing their determination to support Israel and Palestine throughout the negotiations, and the implementation of an agreement after one year. The Quartet called on both sides to observe calm and restraint and to refrain from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric. ‘We all want to see a two-state solution with the State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine’, said Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice-President of the European Commission.