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Today, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi is travelling to the Middle East to discuss how to take forward the implementation of the EU Economic and Investment Plan underpinning the EU’s new Agenda for the Mediterranean.

In Israel, on Wednesday he will have a courtesy meeting with President Isaac Herzog and hold discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yair Lapid. He will meet with the head of opposition Binyamin Netanyahu and head The head of the Coordination Office for the Activities of the Israeli Occupation Government in the West Bank, Major General Ghassan Alyan among others.

He will also visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Centre to lay a wreath at the memorial.

The visit will be an opportunity to review the EU and Israel's close relationship in fields such as the economy, trade and investment, research and people-to-people, and explore further cooperation opportunities in priorities areas including within Horizon Europe.

Commissioner Várhelyi will be in Ramallah on Thursday to meet Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Malki and Minister of Finance Shukri Bishara.

He will also meet the representatives of the Christian communities in East Jerusalem and visit Qalandiya Refugee Camp and its Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centre with deputy UNRWA Commissioner, Leni Stenseth.

The visit will be an opportunity to discuss how to proceed rapidly with the implementation of EU flagship projects such as the Gaza Central Desalination Plant and Gas for Gaza.

The EU remains an important and steady supporter of Palestinians with EU financial support directed at establishing accountable institutions for a future Palestinian State and supporting the emergence of a self-sustaining economy.

The EU remains committed to a just and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-state solution.