Following the speeches of president of Israel Reuven Rivlin and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to the European Parliament today and yesterday, the S&D Group reiterated its call for peace between the two sides.

Victor Boştinaru, vice-president of the S&D Group, said:

"We welcome the presence of the two presidents in the European Parliament and salute their expressed will and commitment for peace. We should also stress the important role and efforts made by president Schulz and HR/VP Federica Mogherini to facilitate and advance the restarting of the peace process. We look forward to the Quartet report being published soon.

"It is a unique opportunity for our Group to reiterate the support for a fair and just two-state solution.

"It is urgent today to engage with our Palestinian and Israeli partners to build a new momentum for peace and reconciliation and to fight hatred, violence, terrorism and racism together. Our common painful history in Europe tells us that we have a responsibility and a duty to support this process, to build together, step-by-step, with the Israelis and the Palestinians a sustainable and fair agreement.

"We agree with president Rivlin and as him, address the Palestinian and the Israeli people: it is time to change the present trends, to engage with the civil society and to support projects between the two sides, in order to build trust and heal the wounds of decades of conflict. At the same time, it is essential that these efforts go hand-in-hand with the end of occupation.

"There is an urgent necessity to stabilise, rehabilitate and allow development in Gaza; the current situation in Gaza is unbearable and could lead to further violence and confrontation. That requires Israelis and Palestinians to work together but also an immediate end of the blockade.

"We believe there is no other choice for the Palestinians and Israelis than living together in peace. That is why the S&D Group has actively invested in common people-to-people projects in the region and in consolidating our relations with our sister parties. We are committed to supporting all realistic peace initiatives, including the French Initiative where we reiterate and support the plea of president Abbas for clear deadlines."