France, Germany, Spain and Italy call for calm in the Palestinian territories

France , Germany , Spain and Italy on Wednesday evening expressed "deep concern over the tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem", and called for avoiding any provocation and escalation of violence. "In 2022, more than 120 Palestinians and 20 Israelis were killed, and many more were injured. We are also deeply concerned about the escalation of violence, including from Israeli settlers," the four countries said in a joint statement. The statement issued by the foreign ministries of the four countries continued, "In this context, it is necessary to avoid any new escalation. We urge all parties to refrain from any provocation or unilateral action, to effectively reduce tensions and restore calm." While recognizing "Israel´s right to defend itself against armed attacks and to demand accountability for those responsible," the four countries believe that the Hebrew state "must do so in accordance with international law and international humanitarian law. It should facilitate Palestinian security control in Area A and resume effective security coordination." . "The current tensions remind us of the urgent need to resume political efforts to achieve a two-state solution, the only solution that can permanently guarantee Israelis and Palestinians the ability to live in peace and security," she added. As stated in the statement. On Tuesday, thousands of Palestinians participated in the funeral of five Palestinians who were martyred after a military operation by the occupation army targeting the "Aren Al-Aswad" group in Nablus. And the Israeli military operations have left more than 100 Palestinian martyrs, in the largest death toll in the West Bank in nearly seven years, according to the United Nations. Since the beginning of October, 25 Palestinians have been killed and two Israeli soldiers have been killed, according to an AFP tally.