Palestinian President arrives in Cairo to participate in 12th World Urban Forum

CAIRO- 3 November 2024: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Egypt on Sunday, in response to an invitation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, to participate in the opening session of the 12th World Urban Forum, the Palestinian News Agency reported.

The Palestinian President is accompanied Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization Hussein al-Sheikh, Head of the General Intelligence Service Major General Majed Faraj, Chief Justice of Palestine, Advisor to the President for Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud al-Habbash, Advisor to the President for Diplomatic Affairs Majdi al-Khalidi, and Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Egypt Diab al-Louh.

The 12th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF12), hosted by Cairo will feature events and sessions dedicated to promoting urban development for persons with disabilities.

Participants will engage in sessions and roundtables to discuss the importance of local strategies and actions to address urbanization challenges and ensure a better quality of life for everyone, including persons with disabilities.

Abbas’ visit coincided with a meeting between the Palestinian factions of Fatah and Hamas in Cairo over post-war governing the Gaza Strip. An official security source said Fatah and Hamas have shown more flexibility and positivity towards establishing a community support committee to manage Gaza. 

The source noted that the committee will be affiliated with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and compromise independent figures.

The committee will be issued by a presidential decree from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, an informed Egyptian source said.

The source noted that both Fatah and Hamas hold a positive outlook toward the Egyptian efforts on forming the committee despite challenges facing the Palestinian cause.