The African Union (AU) has identified the persistent denial of fundamental rights to the Palestinian people, particularly their right to an independent and sovereign state, as the primary catalyst for the enduring Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The AU’s Chairperson of the Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed the sentiments in a communiqué, addressing the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Mahamat voiced deep concern over the escalating Israeli-Palestinian war, highlighting its severe toll on the lives of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians, which has also cast a shadow over regional peace efforts as reports indicate a significant loss of life among civilians and military personnel.
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According to Israel’s Foreign Ministry, the conflict has claimed the lives of more than 200 Israelis, while the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that at least 256 individuals in Gaza have lost their lives in retaliatory Israeli strikes.
In his statement, the AU’s Chairperson called upon both Israelis and Palestinians to immediately cease all military hostilities and return to the negotiating table without preconditions.
He emphasized the importance of implementing the two-state solution, which envisions two independent states coexisting peacefully side by side. This approach is seen as crucial for safeguarding the interests and well-being of both the Palestinian and Israeli people.
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The communique reads, “The Chairperson wishes to recall that the denial of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, particularly those of an independent and sovereign state, is the main cause of the permanent Israeli-Palestinian tension.
“The Chairperson urgently appeals to both parties to put an end to military hostilities and to return, without conditions, to the negotiating table to implement the principle of two states living side by side to safeguard the interests of the Palestinian people and the Israeli people.
“The Chairperson further calls on the international community, and the major world powers in particular, to assume their responsibilities to impose peace and guarantee the rights of the two peoples.”