Int'l ministerial meeting calls for peace in Gaza

(Xinhua) 09:37, December 16, 2023

Oslo, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- A high-level meeting of politicians from several Islamic and North European countries on Friday renewed a commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing crisis in Gaza and to promoting stability in the region.

Hosted by Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, the meeting was convened in response to a request from Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. It was attended by high-ranking officials from Qatar, Jordan, Palestine and Türkiye, as well as by foreign ministers from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

"We all share a very strong recognition of how terrible this situation is (in Gaza) ... (and) we all said very clearly that this has to stop," Eide said in a statement.

The officials also discussed the need to bolster the Palestinian Authority and reinvigorate international cooperation to advance a two-state solution.

Eide reaffirmed Norway's commitment to supporting Palestine in the wake of the conflict. Norway has increased its aid to Palestine by nearly 800 million Norwegian kroner (76.5 million U.S. dollars) since the start of the conflict.

The funding is channeled primarily through international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, as well as Norwegian humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, said the statement.