Roberta Metsola To Visit Israel And Palestine Today
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will be visiting Israel and Palestine upon invitation today and tomorrow.
She intends to underline Europe’s willingness to engage constructively to secure the current ceasefire and hostage deal and ensure that it provides a path to sustainable peace in the region that involves security for Israel and a real perspective to the Palestinian people, a statement released by her team explains.
Through her presence on the ground, she will send a clear message that Europe is ready to engage constructively with all partners in the region. She will reiterate the EU’s commitment to continue providing much-needed humanitarian aid while calling on the international community to step up and increase its humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The visit comes after heightened engagement by Metsola in supporting the ceasefire-hostage deal in Gaza and pushing for an increase in humanitarian efforts, according to the statement.
“In recent weeks, Metsola focused on promoting stability and peace in the Middle East. She has had several meetings and telephone conversations with leaders from Israel, Palestine, the Arab countries and US representatives.”
She has held talks in Cairo with the Egyptian President El-Sisi, met with King Abdullah II of Jordan, received the Palestinian Prime Minister in Brussels and spoke to the Israeli Foreign Minister as well as the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
Her programme
Today, she will hold talks with the Israeli Foreign Minister (Gideon Sa’ar) and the Speaker of the Knesset in Jerusalem (Amir Ohan).
Metsola will travel to the Kerem Shalom Border Crossing Point to visit the humanitarian operations. She will also visit the European Union Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing (EUBAM Rafah). In the afternoon, she will visit the Site of the Nova Festival in Re’im.
On Friday, the President will also meet with Palestinian leadership in Ramallah. She will meet with Mr. Hussein al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation and with the 2024 Sakharov Prize Nominee, Ms. Reem Al Hajajra, Director of Women of the Sun.
During her visit, she will also meet with released hostages, their families and victims of the conflict.
This action was co-financed by the European Union in the frame of the European Parliament’s grant programme in the field of communication. The European Parliament was not involved in its preparation and is, in no case, responsible for or bound by the information or opinions expressed in the context of this action. In accordance with applicable law, the authors, interviewed people, publishers or programme broadcasters are solely responsible. The European Parliament can also not be held liable for direct or indirect damage that may result from the implementation of the action.
READ NEXT: 'Never Again Is Not An Empty Promise,' Metsola Says In Speech For International Holocaust Remembrance Day
