Arab normalisation with Israel will boost the Middle East's economic development and prosperity as well as bringing peace and stability, Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio said on Wednesday.
"We believe the process of normalisation of relations between Israel and the Arab world, begun with the Abraham Accords, is a positive contribution not only to Middle East stability and peace but also to its development and prosperity," Di Maio stated.
Di Maio was addressing the 2020 Mediterranean Diaologues forum taking place from Wednesday through 4 December and which this year is being held online.
The 'Abraham Accords' were signed with the United Arab Emirates in August while Bahrain normalised ties a month later and Sudan’s transitional government announced normalisation of relations with Israel in October.
Sustainable peace in the Middle East depends however on kick-starting the stalled Israeli-Palestinians peace process that should lead to a two-state solution to the conflict, Di Maio stated.
"Clearly, to ensure lasting peace in the entire region, it is essential that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process re-starts through direct negotiations between the two sides, aimed at a reaching a sustainable, practicable and just two-state solution that respects international law," Di Maio said.
"Italy is ready to be directly engaged," he added.
