Chairman of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) and member of the Estonian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Hannes Hanso attends the meeting of the Science and Technology Committee of the Assembly in Israel and Palestine from today to Thursday. The Committee will examine the situation in Israel and discuss the security situation in the Middle East in a wider context.

Hanso emphasised that regional security in the Middle East had a considerable impact on practically all global security developments. “This is a region where, besides the interests of the countries there, the strategic interests of several great powers also clash,” Hanso said.

In Hanso’s opinion it is extremely important to have peace and stability in the Middle East, but achieving of this aim is improbable without the two-state solution that forms the basis for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Hanso added that Estonia and other Member States of the European Union supported the two-state solution.

Hanso recalled that the tensions between Israel and Palestine had lasted for decades and continued also today. The two-state solution, that theoretically would allow neutral coexistence, unfortunately does not work without problems. “Without reasonable dialogue and considering the interests of the other side, it is not possible to settle the complicated relations,” he said.

During the visit, the members of the Science and Technology Committee will meet with the members of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee of the Parliament of Israel the Knesset and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. Domestic and foreign policy of Israel, and also cyber security will be spoken about.

On Tuesday, the delegation will be in the settlements on the West Bank of the Jordan River, where they will meet with the local people. Regional security situation and its impact on global security will be discussed, with specific focus on the Israeli-Palestinian relations. On the last day of the visit, the delegation will visit the Palestinian National Authority.

Riigikogu Press Service
Epp-Mare Kukemelk
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