Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the immediate commencement of a political process under the supervision of the International Quartet that ends the Israeli occupation of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital in line with the resolutions of international legitimacy.
This came during his meeting with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in Ramallah, during which Abbas asserted the importance of immediately halting the Israeli settler extremists’ attacks, backed by Israeli forces, in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem.
He further stressed the need to ensure the solidification of the ceasefire in the Palestinian territories and support the reconstruction efforts of the Gaza Strip.
The president hailed the British support in institution-building and economic development, affirming the need for the UK to play a role in pushing the peace efforts forward in accordance with international legitimacy.
For his part, Raab affirmed his country’s position in support of the two-state solution, its readiness to support the peace efforts between the Palestinians and Israelis, and its continued support for the Palestinian people.
Earlier, Abbas met with the foreign ministers of the United States, Egypt, and Jordan.
The Palestinians are working with Egypt and Jordan to draw up a plan, supported by Arab countries and the US, aiming to launch a new political process in the region that leads to direct negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki also met with the British official and asserted the importance of the Arab, Islamic, regional, and international political movement.
As part of the Palestinian efforts to mobilize broader support for the political movement, which also includes a plan for the reconstruction of the Strip, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh will visit Gulf countries at the end of May.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the PM aims to gain political and financial support, noting that this tour would be the first among other planned visits.
Shtayyeh will visit three Gulf countries, which were not announced because the final arrangements have not been finalized yet.
Maliki indicated that the schedule of the visit and other details will be revealed later, stressing that it comes within a broad diplomatic and political movement currently led by the Palestinian leadership at all levels, to emphasize the need to resolve the Palestinian cause.
Washington is committed to the two-state solution and international references, hoping it will be part of a broader vision that paves the way for a political process and work within the framework of the International Quartet to return to negotiations leading to the establishment of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem its capital, according to Maliki.
