Estonian President Alar Karis expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza on Wednesday during his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, saying that the "catastrophic humanitarian crisis" cannot be the price of combating terrorism, reported Xinhua.
At an ensuing joint press conference, Karis also reiterated Estonia's longstanding support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying "Estonia has always supported and will continue to support the two-state solution in the Middle East."
However, in response to a question from Estonian media outlet ERR, Herzog said it is not possible to move forward with a two-state solution at the moment due to a lack of trust and dialogue between both sides.
During his visit, Herzog also met with Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and was accompanied by a business delegation, highlighting the economic dimension of the diplomatic trip.
Meanwhile, "a few dozen" peaceful protesters gathered on the road leading to Kadriorg Palace to express opposition to Herzog's visit. Waving Palestinian flags and holding signs with slogans such as "Free Palestine" and "Shame," the demonstrators chanted in support of Palestinian rights, according to the daily newspaper Postimees.
Herzog is on an official visit to Estonia following trips to Lithuania and Latvia.
Gaza had been teetering on the brink of famine for two years, but recent developments have "dramatically worsened" the situation, including "increasingly stringent blockades" by Israel, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global standardized tool for assessing food insecurity severity, said in July.
The "worst-case scenario of famine" is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip — home to 2.3 million residents, the international body on food crises noted.
- Estonian presiden
- Gaza
- Israel
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
