Abbas hails Egyptian efforts to support Palestinians’ rights

CAIRO – 2 February 2020: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hailed the Egyptian efforts, under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, few days after US President Donald Trump revealed a controversial peace plan for the Middle East.

Abbas’s remarks came following a meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, a day after Abbas chaired a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, to voice rejection of Trump’s plan recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and allowing Israel to annex West Bank settlements.

During the meeting, Abbas highlighted the necessity of permanent coordination between Egypt and Palestine, Wafa news agency of the Palestinian National Authority reported.

Abbas reviewed with Kamel the latest updates of the Palestinian case, in light of the so-called “Peace of the Century” and the need to counter it on the Arabic, regional and international levels.

Sisi underscored on Saturday Cairo’s firm stance regarding the Palestinian cause, calling for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state according to international resolutions.

The Egyptian leader Sisi held talks in Cairo on Saturday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of an extraordinary Arab League foreign ministers meeting aimed at addressing US President Donald Trump’s peace plan.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived Friday in Egypt to attend the Arab League emergency meeting expected on Saturday.

There can be no substitute to direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, said a statement released after Sisi and Abbas’ meeting.

It stressed the need to reach an agreement on a sustainable settlement that ends the suffering of the Palestinian people, restores all of their legitimate rights and allows them to live in security, stability and peace.

Sisi added to Abbas that Egypt has always been leading efforts to achieve comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East.