Cairo: The leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Palestine Thursday discussed efforts to break a long impasse in the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, warning against “grave consequences” of leaving the Palestinian problem unresolved on regional stability.
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi hosted in Cairo a trilateral meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
“Talks aimed at coordinating stances and visions regarding a number of issues related to the Palestinian cause, which constitutes the genuine basis for the region’s stability,” Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said.
The three leaders held behind-closed-door talks, which were later joined by delegations from their countries, he added. “The leaders emphasised that the summit offered an opportunity for discussions and exchanging views on the best ways to push forward the peace process and how to put anew the Palestinian cause on the top priorities of the international community,” Radi said.
The Cairo talks came days after Abbas met with Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz in the West Bank city of Ramallah, marking the highest-level such meeting between the Palestinian leader and an Israeli minister since Israel’s new government was formed in June.
Voicing support
Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met in Washington US President Joe Biden, who voiced support for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Radi said Egypt and Jordan renewed their support to the Palestinians and Abbas against any “unilateral change” on the ground harming the Palestinians’ rights to establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“They stressed the importance of pooling all efforts of brothers and partners to work for revival of the peace process and resumption of negotiations according to international legitimacy reference frameworks,” he added.
President Al Sissi pointed out during the talks that fulfilling the Palestinians’ aspiration to independent statehood will not be achieved without ending years-long rifts between the Gaza Strip controlled by Hamas movement and the West Bank ruled by the Palestinian Authority.
Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.
In May, Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, ending the worst bout of violence between the two sides in years.
