Palestinians hold rally expressing gratitude to Egypt

CAIRO – 25 September 2017: The Supreme Authority of the Sectarian Palestinian Council organized a rally at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Gaza in order to express gratitude to Egypt for its efforts in achieving reconciliation and ending the conflict between different Palestinian political currents.

Fatah’s Central Committee (the highest decision-making body of the Palestinian Authority) praised Egypt’s efforts in inter-Palestinian reconciliation on Saturday.

Last week, Hamas dissolved its administrative committee in the Gaza strip, invited the government of national reconciliation to assume its duties and hold general elections, as per the 2011 Cairo Agreement between Fatah and Hamas, which aimed to unify the Palestinian disputed parties. Hamas’ decision came following indirect inter-Palestinian talks, brokered by Egypt.

The committee, presided over by Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas, stated that Hamas has good faith in fulfilling the Cairo Agreement, inviting the new reconciliation government to head to the Gaza strip to take on its duties.

The committee’s comments came in a meeting held on Saturday to discuss the outcomes of President Mahmoud Abbas’ participation in the 72nd round of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York. The meeting tackled the possible ways of reviving the peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis, which was called for by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.

On the sidelines of the UNGA meetings at his residency, Sisi held two separate meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at New York, to discuss ways of resuming the peace process talks that had been halted since 2014.