Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has told his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi that he would accept US mediation of the peace process, Arab48.com reported yesterday.

Abbas accepted this on the condition that he is part of the international effort. An unnamed Palestinian source said: “Abbas told Al-Sisi that he accepts the return of US mediation even without the abolition of the US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.”

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Palestinian sources said that the EU would not currently recognise the Palestinian state. (MEMO)

 

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir has told an Israelis newspaper that it will be possible to renew negotiations despite Donald Trump’s decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

“If there are elements acceptable to both sides it will be possible to renew negotiations despite the current crisis surrounding Trump’s statement,” Al-Jubeir told Maariv newspaper at the World Economic Forum. (MEMO)

King Abdullah of Jordan said that there will not be a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without the United States, despite US President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

“We cannot have a peace process or peace solution without the role of the United States,” said the King of Jordan at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday.

Abdullah said that Arab leaders must “reserve judgment” on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because the Americans have not yet come out with their peace plan.

Although he agreed that US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy to the holy city is a “complication for Jordan,” he remained open to the possibility of peace talks in the region.

“The subject of Jerusalem has to be part of a comprehensive solution for Israel and the Palestinians,” said Abdullah.

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He remained optimistic about the future of the peace process. “We’ve been at this for a while and looking at this always as a glass half full. We have to give the Americans the benefit of the doubt.” (Jerusalem Post)