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Egypt ambassador urges Israelis, Palestinians to work for peace

Xinhua, June 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Egypt's ambassador to Israel, Hazem Khairat, on Thursday urged Israelis to reach a peace deal with Palestinians, cautioning that time is running out.

"A two-state solution is the only way to end the conflict," Khairat said during a rare public appearance in Israel. "We are running out of time and there are no alternatives."

He made his remarks during the annual Herzliya Conference in Herzliya near Tel Aviv.

"Losing hope not only subverts regional and international stability, but also encourages extremist organizations to spread more violence and hatred," he warned.

Khairat praised the recent French peace initiative as "a major initiative for regional peace," adding that Egypt regards the peace summit in Paris "as a step towards peace."

A meeting was convened on June 3 in Paris to prepare the comprehensive peace conference by the end of the year in order to resume negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians after the last round of talks reached an impasse in April 2014.

Israel captured the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East War and has controlled it since then, despite international condemnation.

In May, Egypt stepped up its calls for a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, with President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi calling on both parties to take historic steps and sign a peace treaty. Endit