On 17 November 2023, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, met with the Head of the Mission of Palestine to Finland and the Baltic Countries, Ambassador Taissir Al Adjouri, for a discussion on current developments in the Middle East. Particular attention was paid to the ongoing escalation of the security and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the wider region, as well as to the need for the international community to play an active role in stopping violence and providing access for humanitarian relief to civilians.
State Secretary Andris Pelšs expressed Latvia’s strong support for compliance with international law, including humanitarian law, the prevention of civilian casualties, and a safe delivery of humanitarian aid. In that context, Andris Pelšs informed the Ambassador about the decision of the Latvian Government to provide support to Palestinian civilians through making an additional contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the World Food Programme (WFP). At the same time, the State Secretary underlined the accountability of the Hamas terrorist group for the escalation that has occurred, and he called on the Palestinian Authority to clearly condemn it. Andris Pelšs also reiterated Latvia’s position on the two-state solution to be reached through negotiations.