Egyptian-Jordanian-Palestinian summit shows Cairo resuming its peace broker role
SMA NEWS – CAIRO
Egypt has started working to reset the Palestinian issue on a course that gives Cairo a central role as a peace broker and as a bridge between Israel, the Palestinians and the United States.
In so doing, it takes advantage of signs pointing to a shift in the regional and international scene in favour of a return to negotiated process, regardless of tangible results.
The convening of the Egyptian-Jordanian-Palestinian summit in Cairo on Thursday represented a concrete step in this direction, as it aimed to give President Mahmoud Abbas a political boost in preparation for a forthcoming stage in which the Palestinian cause may enjoy renewed international attention.
The final statement of the summit, which brought together President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, Jordanian King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, stressed the centrality of the Palestinian cause as the top Arab issue. It also reaffirmed the positions of Egypt and Jordan in support of the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights, including their right to an independent and sovereign state along the June 4, 1967 border.
Israeli media confirmed that the previously-announced meeting between Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and the Egyptian president “will be held very soon and will take place publicly in the city of Sharm el-Sheikh,” a place that brings to mind a series of meetings held by former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak with Israeli leaders
