Earlier on Thursday, Egypt’s Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi received Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the presidential palace
A trilateral summit between Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine’s leaders has kicked off in Cairo to discuss a number of issues of mutual concern, including the Palestinian cause, according to local media.
Talks between the Palestinian and Israeli sides have long been frozen, amid efforts from several parties, including Egypt and Jordan, to revive these talks in accordance with the international resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative and the two-state solution with the aim of establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 border, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
According to the Palestinian News Agency, the summit will urge the US Administration to fulfill its promises to support the two-state solution through practical steps to put an end to the racist settlement policy in Palestinian territories, especially in Jerusalem.
The meeting of the three leaders addresses maintaining calm, protecting chances of achieving a just peace, not escalating reprisals by Israel against the Palestinians, especially in Gaza, ending the Palestinian division, and resuming the prisoner exchange between Israel and Palestine.
The tripartite summit comes within the framework of regional and international efforts to maintain calm in the occupied Palestinian territories, and to find a political horizon to achieve a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, in accordance with the international law and the Arab Peace Initiative.
Palestinian state along pre-1967 border
According to Bloomberg, citing the state-run Middle East News Agency, Egypt and Jordan on Thursday stressed their rejection of any attempt to undercut efforts to secure a Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital.
A statement issued at the end of a tripartite summit grouping Egypt and Jordan’s leaders and the Palestinian president said the three sides voiced their rejection of Israeli measures to “undermine a two-state solution” and which “threaten the chances of achieving peace in the region.”
Al-Sisi, during a meeting with Abbas ahead of the summit, stressed that Egypt would proceed with its painstaking efforts to support the Palestinian cause.
Egypt is coordinating with the Palestinian side to help Palestinians restore their rights, Sisi said.
He highlighted the importance of rallying efforts in the coming period to support a political settlement, push towards resuming negotiations, and maintain the Palestinian-Israeli truce.
He also called for the unification of Palestine’s ranks and reconciling all Palestinian factions so that they may support the Palestinian Authority and its role in the Gaza Strip.
He underscored the importance of improving the economic, humanitarian, and living conditions in the strip.
Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said the meeting tackled the latest developments in the Palestinian cause and the Middle East peace process.
For his part, Palestinian President Abbas hailed the strenuous efforts exerted by Egypt to support the Palestinian cause.
He lauded Egypt’s historical role in advocating for a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause, referring to Egypt’s pivotal efforts in facilitating the recent ceasefire with Israel.
He also cited the initiative launched later on by Al-Sisi in reconstruction of Gaza, stressing the depth of Palestinian-Egyptian ties.
The two leaders agreed during their talks to hold continued consultations to discuss various issues of mutual concern as well as future steps for supporting the Palestinian cause at all levels.
Bennett not attending the summit
In this context, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett denied on Wednesday that he is going to attend a tripartite summit for the leaders of Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority held Thursday in Cairo.
His office denied reports about his participation, and pointed out that he is not even planning to meet with PA President Mahmoud Abbas in the long term.
“There was no intention to hold a meeting between Bennett and Abbas and no such encounter is expected,” said the prime minister’s office. “However, Egypt’s Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi invited Bennett to a meeting in Egypt and they will meet soon.”
Ynet News reported Bennett as saying last week that the meeting is meant to “strengthen and expand the relations between the countries in the region.”
No more details were given about the timeframe of the prospective visit to Egypt, which is scheduled to take place in the resort of Sharm Al-Sheikh.
