The foreign ministers of NATO member states expressed hope that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip will not spread to other countries in the region, Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
⠀
“The allies welcomed the extension of the pause in hostilities, the release of the hostages, as well as the opportunity to deliver additional humanitarian aid to Gaza… It is important for us that this conflict does not escalate into a larger regional one,” Stoltenberg told reporters following the first day of the ministerial meeting in Brussels.
⠀
According to him, although NATO as an organization is not directly involved in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, many alliance allies play an active role in this process. At the same time, the alliance cooperates with a number of countries in the region.
⠀
“NATO as an alliance does not play an active role in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict… We are present in the Middle East, in particular in Iraq, where we have a training mission. We have close partnerships with many Arab states, the countries of the Persian Gulf, North Africa, and Jordan “, the NATO Secretary General said.
⠀
He also said that he plans to visit the Persian Gulf region in the near future “to meet with partners.”