Israeli and Palestinian groups meet in France to press for two-state solution
Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups will meet in France on Friday to urge the international community not to abandon a two-state solution, as Paris seeks to keep the issue alive amid the Middle East war.
The meeting, attended by foreign ministers and senior officials from dozens of countries, marks one year since the UN-backed New York Declaration, which set out a roadmap towards Palestinian statehood and prompted around a dozen countries, including France, Britain and Canada, to recognise a Palestinian state.
"Given the current situation in the region, marked by seemingly endless conflicts, too many civilian casualties and a cycle of violence, and in light of the stalled implementation of the Gaza ceasefire ... we believe this conference is now more essential and urgent than ever,” France's Foreign Ministry spokesperson told reporters on Thursday.
Egypt urges US and Iran to seize chance for deal
Egypt urged the United States and Iran to seize what it called an "available opportunity" for a deal to end the war, after President Donald Trump withdrew his threat to carry out further strikes on Tehran.
Cairo's foreign ministry said it hoped "the available opportunity will be seized to reach a deal on the various outstanding issues and to prepare the atmosphere for reaching an end to the war and beginning a new phase of regional stability".
Oil prices fall as Trump calls off Iran strikes
Oil prices fell on Friday, extending losses from the previous session after US President Donald Trump cancelled plans to strike Iran, reducing fears of an escalation of hostilities following tit-for-tat attacks earlier in the week.
Brent futures rose $1.21 or 1.3% to $89.17 a barrel at 0042 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed $1.23, or 1.4%, to $86.48. On a weekly basis, Brent was 4.2% lower, while WTI was down 4.4%.
US forces shoot down Iranian drones near Strait of Hormuz
US forces shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones as Tehran appeared to attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a US official told Reuters on Thursday, in the latest clashes between the two nations.
"Traffic flow through the strait continues," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Welcome to the France 24 liveblog covering events in the Middle East. You can catch up on yesterday's developments here.
Yesterday's key developments:
• US President Donald Trump said he had halted plans for new military strikes on Iran, claiming negotiators were close to extending a fragile ceasefire.
• The Israeli prime minister’s office said Trump had spoken to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about an emerging "memorandum of understanding" to enter negotiations with Iran, which would include the removal of enriched material and limits on missile production.
• Responding to Trump's latest threats to Iran's oil facilities, the Iranian military command warned that "either oil and gas exports are for everyone or they will be available for no one".
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)
