Egypt, Palestine, Jordan discuss ways to revive Mideast peace process

CAIRO, Dec. 27– Senior officials from Egypt, Jordan and Palestine discussed on Monday a number of proposals aimed at breaking the deadlock in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. During a meeting in Cairo, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan, the Palestinian minister of civil affairs, and the heads of the three countries’ intelligence services held talks…

CAIRO, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) — Senior officials from Egypt, Jordan and Palestine discussed on Monday a number of proposals aimed at breaking the deadlock in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.

During a meeting in Cairo, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan, the Palestinian minister of civil affairs, and the heads of the three countries’ intelligence services held talks to coordinate positions and visions on how to follow up on the results of the tripartite summit held here in September, according to a statement released by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

On Sept. 2, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II met for a tripartite summit, during which they stressed the importance of reviving the peace process and resuming negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel in accordance with international legitimacy references.

During Monday’s meeting, representatives from the three countries discussed the recent developments in the Palestinian cause, ways to improve relations, advances in the peace process, and efforts to consolidate Palestinian national unity.

The officials assessed the situation in Palestine in light of the continued measures that undermine the chances of achieving a just peace in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and the consolidation of a comprehensive truce and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, according to the statement.

The meeting also focused on establishing a political horizon for achieving a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, which would result in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital, as per international law and the Arab Peace Initiative.

On May 21, Egypt sponsored a truce agreement between Israel and the armed Palestinian factions, led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). The truce ended 11 days of fighting that led to the death of more than 250 Palestinians and 13 people in Israel.

Peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis have been suspended since March 2014, after nine months of talks sponsored by the United States that did not yield any achievements. Enditem