Maldives Foreign Minister calls on Israel to start dialogue with Palestine

Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon has called on Israel to stop the invasion of Gaza, declare a cease-fire, and start dialogue with Palestine.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affaris on Sunday, Minister Dunya also said that the Government of Maldives welcomes the statement by the United Nations Security Council calling for de-escalation of the situation in Gaza, the restoration of calm and the restitution of the November 2012 ceasefire.

“The Maldives calls on the State of Israel to heed the international community’s calls and respect international humanitarian law,” read the statement.

Minister Dunya said: “the Maldives believes that the Security Council needs to make stronger decisions as provided for by the UN Charter to stop Israeli aggression in Palestine”.

Foreign Ministry said that the Maldives believes that it is only through negotiations that a conducive environment could be created where both Palestine and Israel could live side by side in peace. The Government of Maldives has earlier expresses alarm at the rising death toll in Gaza.