The European Union welcomes the outcome of the meeting of Egyptian, Jordanian, Israeli, Palestinian and US political and security senior officials in Sharm El Sheikh on Sunday. The meeting  brought an understanding on ways to further de-escalate tensions on the ground and work towards a peaceful settlement between Israelis and Palestinians, while recognising the need to create a political horizon.

The EU commends the role of Egypt, Jordan, and the United States as conveners of these efforts, building on the Aqaba meeting in February.

The EU supports the communique that was agreed between the parties and its implementation in good faith, and stands ready to contribute to these efforts. The European Union welcomes the commitments made, notably to halt unilateral measures, to respect existing agreements, and to establish a mechanism to diminish violence and incitement. Furthermore, we appreciate the efforts aimed at improving the Palestinian economy, and the commitment to respect the status quo of the Holy sites.

A continued direct dialogue between the parties will remain crucial, and therefore the EU welcomes the commitment to resume talks in April.